The Many Shades of Gray
by sallene
Summary: What happens when Sydney returns from her missing two years and seeks out an old enemy to help her find out what she missed? SydneySark
1. Chapter 1

*AN I've been sucked into the Sarkney world, so that's on my mind a lot now. ;) I'm kind of antsy about it, but the muse hit, and I just can't get it out of my head. I hope to attract enough interest to keep going with it. Reviews are welcome, good, bad, and indifferent. Thanks! This is my first long fiction on the board.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own anything Alias related. They are not mine (although I wouldn't mind claiming a couple of them).  
  
Spoilers: Post the telling **********************************************************************  
  
He woke up to see her staring at him. Christ, he thought. She's back. After all this time, it's really her. He was surprised that he had not heard that she was back. Granted, the CIA didn't feel that he needed to have any information, but something like that should have been the topic of conversation of everyone. The last he had heard, they found a body with DNA that matched hers. She was declared dead. He masked his surprise with the cold, impassive look that he was known for. "Miss Bristow. I see you have returned from the dead; pardon the pun." He smirked. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of a visit?"  
  
"I see you haven't lost your 'charm' Sark", Sydney said. "I want to know what the hell happened to me, and you're going to help me find out."  
  
"What makes you think that I know anything? I've been locked up in this damn cell for over two years without even a decent suit."  
  
"Glad to see that your priorities are straight." Cocky as ever, thought Sydney. Does he ever feel anything? "I know you well enough to know that you have connections. If you don't know now, you will find out. Let me add that I can make it worth your while."  
  
"And, pray tell, how can you do that? You've just reappeared after people thought you were dead. Do you think the CIA will be willing to make any deals with you? Especially for someone like me?" Sark retorted. "And what in our past history has given you any indication that I would help you?"  
  
"I know how flexible your loyalties are. Anything that will better your condition, you will do. I'm sure you don't think this is Club Med. I've been back for 4 months. I've lost my life; everything that I knew, been put through hell here, and was finally released. I have a level of security clearance and have gained the trust of several within the agency. Besides, who said anything about making a deal with the CIA? I have other ways; other people that I can pull a favor from." Selfish bastard, thought Sydney. But, selflessness was never a strong quality of his. She actually admired it. If only she hadn't worried so much or cared so much , then she wouldn't be subject to this pain. The passage of time and the things that she had been through had made her bitter.  
  
Sark's sapphire eyes flicked to the security cameras.  
  
"On a loop for the time being. It's not necessary for anyone here to witness this conversation."  
  
"Well, I must say, you've certainly sparked my interest, Miss Bristow. Dare I ask what your resources are?" If she only knew just how far his loyalties went. Or that in spite of all he had done, it was for her benefit.  
  
"Simple. Irina Derevko."  
  
Irina? Bloody hell. "Ah. You are your mother's daughter after all." 


	2. Chapter 2

"One could argue that point," said Sydney. "It's taken me too long to realize that there is no black or white; only many shades of gray. People have reasons for what they do. Just because I don't agree with their reasoning, doesn't mean that they are wrong. Every person has his or her own motivation. I just never accepted that. My mother is one of the people that I have accepted. I do, however, still believe that there are lines that should not be crossed. I have to find out what happened, and I'm willing to do what I have to do."  
  
With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Sark to himself once again.  
  
She had changed. He was not sure if it was for the better, but the old Sydney Bristow would never had made a statement like that. What had she been through these past two years? She obviously could not remember, but it had taken its toll on her. The hope that she had once had was not there. But, the fire still was. The fire that drove her to become the best. To excel at anything she did. Lesser people would have retreated into themselves and ceased to live after facing some of the things she had. Not Sydney. Never Sydney. That is one of the things that he admired about her. He saw in her the same fire that he had. But, she had something that he didn't. Hope. Apparently, she lost that though after disappearing into a void for two years. Well, he mused; maybe she will learn to have hope again. God knows she needed it. And so did he. He was tired of being so cold inside.  
  
He was sure her absence had something to do with Sloane. He should have put a bullet between Sloane's eyes when he had the chance. But, that was something that he could not do. Instead, he had to work with the man (if you could call him that), in order to gain knowledge about Rambaldi and the prophecy.  
  
Sark thought back two years. After he had been brought to the CIA, they tried to extract information from him. He would have been more than happy to let the damn dogs have Sloane, but he knew that he couldn't. Not until he knew more. So, he did not break. Not with the inquisitions, not with the thiopental sodium, and not with the torture. He had let himself be captured for a reason. That reason was to gain insight into what the CIA knew. Unfortunately, the one person that the prophecy affected most was not there.  
  
Sydney had disappeared. When it happened, Jack Bristow, Agent Vaughn, and numerous other people had come to him. They had demanded information. They really believed that he knew exactly what was going on. He had used that to his advantage. As long as he was useful to them, they kept him around. He could not afford to be transferred to Camp Harris. He would learn nothing there. He could only hope that Irina would carry on with their plans, and not be distracted by the disappearance of Sydney. They could not help her that way.  
  
Sark was aware that Sydney had killed Allison. At first, all he felt was a desire to hurt her. She had taken away one of the only people that he had loved. He couldn't honestly say that he had been in love with Allison, but she had been there from the beginning. After he had lost his family and had been taken under Khasinau's wing, she was his one assurance that he was still alive. If it hadn't been for her, he would have lost what heart he had. Even after he had met Irina, Allie was still there. Irina had taught him so many things, but she wasn't exactly an open book. He smirked at the idea of sitting down to tea to have a heart to heart with her. It had hurt him when he realized that Allie had started to care for Tippin, but it was something he had expected. Allison did have a heart. Tippin was able to be warm with her, to show his feelings. Something Sark didn't dare do. Not anymore.  
  
After time, he realized that Sydney had done what she had to do. Kill or be killed. And, he knew all too well what one does in that situation. Besides, he had been the one to mistakenly mention Allie to Sloane. Then he had to use her. But what the hell happened to Sydney?  
  
Then he had heard that Sydney had been found. Or what they took to be her. There wasn't really anything they could do to make a positive identification except use a DNA sample. Sark knew better than anyone that this could be misleading. He knew Sloane's twisted mind enough to know that he would keep Sydney alive for his purpose. He was sure that the DNA was planted. But, since he was in custody, there was no way to prove it.  
  
So, he had waited. For something, for anything. Well, the wait was over. 


	3. Chapter 3

Sydney made her way to her desk. Her thoughts were jumbled. Was she doing the right thing? Stop thinking like that, she berated herself. It didn't matter. She had to have answers. She wasn't getting them here. After 4 months, no one knew what the hell had happened to her. They didn't seem that concerned with trying to find out either. They ran test after test, did regression therapy, sent her to Barnett, and then gave up. Nothing. Zip. So, they offered her a desk job and limited security. Still, she took the job. She had nothing else to do. If she left, she would lose any ability to obtain information. And information is what she needed.  
  
It wasn't enough to be told that she had been missing for almost two years, to have the CIA give up on her, to have Vaughn move on with his life, and to be poked and prodded like a Thanksgiving turkey. She had lost her herself. She had no real identity anymore, and didn't fit in anywhere. She was not the same Sydney Bristow. The ironic part is, she didn't remember changing. She was bitter, disillusioned, and aching. But, she would not give up. She wasn't going to be beaten.  
  
The other huge blow had been delivered to her when she had arrived back in L.A. Her father was gone. The CIA had no idea where he was, and assumed that he was working with Sloane or dead. Sydney firmly believed that he was alive. But, she also knew that Jack Bristow would never willingly work with Sloane. No one would listen to her. They all insisted that he had changed after she had been declared dead. The day the star went on the wall, he threw his badge in Kendall's face and walked out. There had been no contact since. He was listed as one of the most wanted in the world, right under Sloane and Irina Derevko, her mother. She knew the man that her father was better than anyone. He would not work with Sloane unless he had no choice or had another agenda. The CIA thought that maybe since she was back, Jack or Irina would contact her. Little did they know, that if her parents did contact her, she sure in the hell wasn't telling them.  
  
As for Vaughn, he had moved on. He had a wife. He was happy. She couldn't help but be bitter and wonder about what might have been. To her, they were together 4 months ago, ready to take a vacation to Santa Barbara. She still loved him, but she knew that she had to move past it. She couldn't change it, no matter how much it hurt. And, she resented him. Resented him for giving up on her, for moving on, for leaving the CIA. But, she had to be honest with herself; she knew why he did it. He couldn't handle anymore. He just wasn't that strong. He needed some semblance of a normal life and some happiness. She had to give him credit. He came for her. He tried to explain. She listened and then compartmentalized. She just couldn't deal with it. Then, he went back to his new life. Maybe one day she could be happy for him.  
  
Will wasn't the same either. She couldn't believe at first that he was alive, but he was. He was there, in flesh and blood. But, he wasn't her Will anymore. He was in a wheelchair, which, she had to admit, didn't seem to phase him. He had become a senior analyst. She knew that he still cared about her, but he had been through too much to be her rock anymore. They still talked and spent time together, but it was strained. It was just too much to face.  
  
The others were still around. Weiss, Dixon, Marshall, and Kendall. The only one that hadn't changed was Kendall. He was still an ass. The others were polite, and happy to have her back, but the loss of time was apparent. They went about their everyday business, and she had no part in that.  
  
After being released, she had been contacted by her mother. She offered help and some explanations about the prophecy. At first, Sydney was extremely wary, considering their past history. But, after what she had been through the past months, and what she couldn't remember from the past two years, she was willing to take the risk. She realized that Irina had her own reasons for the things she had done. She didn't agree with all of them or even know every reason, but there it was. And she knew, deep down, that her mother had nothing to do with the past two years. She also knew that Irina agreed with her about her father. It still amazed her that despite everything, her mother still believed in her father. After all she had done and he had done, she still loved him. She wondered how her father felt.  
  
So, she agreed. She was willing to do anything to find answers. The first step was to get Sark out of custody. Sydney wondered why she wasn't more skeptical about this, but things change. He had killed many people, including having a hand in Francie's death. But, Sydney had also killed people. Maybe with a different motivation behind it, but it was still there. Her mother insisted that even though he'd been in custody for two years, he still had contacts in the places they needed. She knew the only chance that she had was with the help of him and her mother. The pieces would fall into place later.  
  
She had nothing else. Home was a hotel room, since her place had been sold. Will was distant, her father was gone, and Francie died almost three years ago. She had her personal belongings, but they were foreign to her now. They belonged to another Sydney. She couldn't live like this. Like she didn't exist anymore. Like she wasn't alive. Somewhere, there was a place for her. And there were answers. 


	4. Chapter 4

She was running; running hard and fast. She could hardly catch her breath. She couldn't see him, but she could hear him. Sloane. She didn't look back. Hell was behind her. She had to get away. She looked right and left. There was no way out. Suddenly, Sark was in front of her. "This way, Sydney. I can help you." She had nowhere else to go. She ran towards Sark. She could hear Sloane. "You can't run from your destiny, Sydney, you have to face it." Suddenly, she was falling. Falling into a deep chasm of fear and darkness.  
  
Sydney sat up, wet with sweat. That dream again. This was the third time she had experienced it. Ever since she saw Sark. It left her breathless, unsettled, and wanting answers more than ever. She wondered why after four months, she was having dreams like this. Before, there was nothing. Was she trying to remember, or was it just wishful thinking?  
  
There would be no more sleep for her tonight. She arose and prepared for a run. This is becoming a habit, she thought. This morning, however, she did not take her normal route. Before she realized where she was at, the JTF building was in front of her. She used her access code to get inside. No doubt she would be questioned about why she was there at 2:30 am, but she would think of an answer for that later.  
  
She made her way down the halls, on autopilot. A million things were running through her head. How many times had she walked this very path to visit her mother? How many times had she hoped that things would change? Well, they've changed, she thought. Only they certainly weren't the changes she had hoped for. Now Sydney was on her way to see someone equally dangerous. Sark. Funny, she knew he was dangerous, but she didn't care. Not anymore. She made sure to disable the audio. It was fairly easy. The CIA was too lax in their security measures now. Or maybe her desperation made her sharper.  
  
He was awake. He rarely slept anymore, using his time to meditate, plan, and exercise. Even though he had been in custody for two years, he was as sharp minded and strong as ever. Her knew he couldn't afford to be at less than his best when the chance came to take his freedom back. His thoughts flew to Sydney. He had thought of her often, but more than ever in the past three days. After she had shown up in front of the glass walls of his cell, he couldn't get her off of his mind. He hadn't seen her since then, but he knew something would happen soon. He made up his mind. He had worked with Irina in the past to help Sydney. He would continue to do so. She needed him.  
  
That was how Sydney found him. He was doing crunches, apparently deep in thought. He didn't see her at first. Sydney looked at him. Surprising herself a little, she realized that she did not feel the hate for him that she once had. He was as determined as she was. Determined to be free of the cage that imprisoned him. She thought back to her dream. He was there, trying to help her escape Sloane. She didn't know what it meant, but she had been thinking of him since their talk the other day. She watched him. Sweat beaded his brow and the dampness made his blonde hair curl. How did someone so beautiful become so cold and dangerous? He was beautiful, she thought. He looked younger than she remembered. It must be because he was not wearing a rigid suit. And, of course, the sarcastic comments weren't coming out of his mouth at the moment.  
  
"Miss Bristow." Sark broke into her thoughts. His voice registered curiosity. She had caught him off guard. He steadied it. "This is most unexpected. If I had known you were coming, I would have made myself more presentable."  
  
"I don't know why I'm here Sark. I couldn't sleep. I ended up here." She said. She did not mention the fact that she had been thinking of him, dreaming of him. He didn't need to know that. Not now.  
  
"I think you do know." He rose and came closer to the glass. "I'm the only one that you can be honest with now. I'm the only one that understands what you are feeling and what you have to do. I'm one of the only ones that can help you."  
  
Sydney didn't have a reply. She simply stared at him. Even through the glass, she could feel the purpose and energy radiating from him. She caught her breath. There was also something else. There was a connection between them. For a few moments, they stood staring at each other, the air around them electric.  
  
Sark spoke first, breaking the silence. "Speechless? I'll have to mark this day down. Sydney Bristow has nothing to say. I seem to remember when our 'banter' was the highlight of our relationship. I quite enjoyed it, I must say." Sark congratulated himself. No need to let her know what he was feeling. There would be time for that later.  
  
"Do you call what we had a relationship, Sark? I hated you. Loathed you. I wanted nothing more than to see you dead." What was wrong with her? She was acting like a schoolgirl. She was out of breath, her heart beating rapidly.  
  
"Yet you never killed me, Sydney." He had let her name slip from his lips. He mentally berated himself, but he liked the way it sounded. He always thought of her as Sydney. He watched as her eyes widened in surprise.  
  
Sark had never used just her first name before. It unsettled her a bit. "No, I didn't. Lucky for me now, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes, Sydney, it is. You don't mind my using your first name, do you? After all, we will be working together. It's only appropriate. We're the same, you and I. I think you may be starting to realize that now."  
  
Once, Sydney would have thrown that back at him, declaring that she would never be like him. Now, it was different. "Yes, I do realize some things, Sark." She didn't elaborate. "Since you feel that way, don't you think you should share your name?" After all, as you said, we will be working together." Again she had surprised herself. She was actually curious about him. She wanted to know more, to make the connection stronger.  
  
Sark looked at her. She looked tired. Tired and restless. She was still beautiful. There was always something about her. Even now, pale, with dark circles under her eyes, clothes clinging to her from her run, she was still exquisite. He wanted nothing more than to offer her comfort and assurance. To give her some measure of peace. "Aidan." It was only one word, but he felt that he had laid his life open for her to see.  
  
Sydney recognized his sacrifice. For the first time since she had returned she felt connected with someone. How fitting that it should be Sark.Aidan, she mentally corrected herself. She looked at him and tried to convey how grateful she was. 'Be prepared, Aidan. It will come soon."  
  
He tried not to think of how good it was to hear someone speak his name. Especially her. "I'm always prepared, Sydney."  
  
His words sent a shiver down her spine. She felt alive again.  
  
************  
  
Ok, so is anyone interested? If so, please leave a review. That may sound harsh, but the plot bunnies work better if they are fed. (  
  
Thanks! 


	5. Chapter 5

*AN: Yay! I got reviews. Thank you all so much for reading. Hopefully I can live up to expectations and make this a great story! Anyway, here you go!  
  
*********************************  
  
This time Sydney contacted Irina. She simply said two words. "The Pier." She knew it was dangerous, but she had to talk to her mother. She needed to find out what the next step was, and she was not willing to wait any longer.  
  
There was a tail behind her, but Sydney managed to lose him. It was not yet daylight, but she could see her mother's form in the gray dawn. Her heart beat faster. She had not seen her mother for over two years, although it seemed just months to her since Irina took a leap off the side of a building. Her head and heart were full of emotions that she was having a hard time containing. Sometimes, it was so damn hard to compartmentalize.  
  
"Sydney!" Irina gasped. She moved to hold her daughter. "I'm so happy to see you. I was so afraid."  
  
Sydney did not resist. She needed the comfort that her mother would offer. It was rather ironic. She hadn't been there for most of Sydney's life, yet she still was her mother. No matter what had happened. "Mom!" Sydney choked out. The tears came then. She had to let it out.  
  
"Sydney, I'm so sorry for all that has happened to you. Everything that I have done in the past 30 years was to try to protect you, to try to spare you pain. But, I've failed!"  
  
Sydney was shocked to see the tears and true emotion on Irina's face. She knew then what she had always been afraid to face. Her mother did love her. "Mom, I have to find out what Sloane did to me! I have to find dad! Sloane has to pay!"  
  
"We'll find all the answers in time Sydney, I'll make sure of that. And, we will find your father. I can't lose him again." Irina truly regretted what she had done in the past, but it was all for a greater purpose. Jack and Sydney had been the only true things in her life, and all she ever wanted was the best for them. Instead, she only caused heartbreak and misery. Her obsession with Rambaldi was not what they thought. She was only obsessed because she needed to protect her little girl.  
  
"I'm turning in my resignation to the CIA, mom. It will be easier. They will accept that I want to leave more than if I just disappeared again. It will still be hard. They are watching me."  
  
"I'm sure that is a wise decision, Sydney. There are so many things that you do not know. I wish we could talk about them all now, but we can't. I'm sorry this has been so hard on you."  
  
"It doesn't matter anymore," said Sydney. "What is the plan for Aidan?"  
  
Irina did not miss her daughter's use of Sark's first name, but she chose not to mention it. Instead, she felt a small flicker of hope that maybe Sydney would yet find some measure of happiness in her life. "You are to have but a small part in it. We don't want the CIA to suspect you. If they do, it will make our job harder."  
  
"So, what do I need to do?" questioned Sydney.  
  
"You must convince the CIA to move Sark to Camp Harris. It should not be hard. I'm sure they feel that Sark's usefulness to them is at an end. I will take care of the rest. In two weeks time, be ready to leave. I will contact you before then with instructions on what to do. Sydney, you must be very careful. I'm also sure that Sloane was behind your disappearance. He will be looking for you. The prophecy has not yet been fulfilled."  
  
"I need answers, mom. I need to know everything you know about Rambaldi and the prophecy," Sydney spoke urgently.  
  
"Be patient. You will know soon. I cannot even begin to tell you know. It's complicated and we have no time left. I will see you soon. I love you, Sydney" Irina said as she walked away.  
  
"I love you too, mom", Sydney heard herself say. She had not realized how much she needed her mother until now, especially with her father missing. She was not satisfied with Irina's answer, but she knew her well enough to know that everything her mother did had a point. She would tell Sydney nothing until she was ready.  
  
The sun was breaking over the water as Sydney walked back to her car. She couldn't help but think that with this day dawned new hope. 


	6. Chapter 6

Sark received his news of transfer quietly. He was surprised that they had waited so long. But, it worked to his advantage. He was still here when Sydney returned. That was all that mattered. Now, he was ready. He had more information for Irina, and he would be able to help Sydney.  
  
He had meant it when he had told Sydney that he was always prepared. That was just second nature to him. Living the life that he did, it was always in his best interest to be ready for anything. Especially when his life was at stake. He still wasn't sure of the plan that Irina had, but he knew that he could count on her. She could always be counted on when it came to Sydney. Granted, she had always tried to help him when he needed it, but her daughter and her husband were always first. Silly people. Thinking that Irina was so obsessed with Rambaldi just for herself. She was one of the most fiercely loyal people that he'd ever met. She would do anything to protect her family, even if it meant to betray them. Sark had not seen Sydney again. He was sure that Irina would try to do this without her help. He knew it would be a greater risk if the CIA thought that Sydney had something to do with it. Still, he wanted to see her. After she had come to his cell that night, he thought about her more than ever. He wondered if he was imagining the connection that he felt with her. He wondered if she felt the same way. He looked forward to the day when he could have those questions answered.  
  
When the guards came in, he stood up. He was going to have some dignity. He allowed them to shackle his hands and feet. Little did they know that they wouldn't be unshackling them at Camp Harris. Ah well, everyone has to learn sometime, he thought.  
  
He was escorted out and loaded onto a bus. There was an escort in front of the bus, and one behind. He couldn't help but think that this wasn't going to be easy, especially with his hands chained behind him. He remembered hearing rumors of the way Will Tippin had escaped when he was transferred. He wondered if Irina had something similar planned.  
  
He looked around him. Without warning, the man seated next to the driver turned around and shot the two men guarding Sark. Sark was shocked. He had been immersed in his own thoughts and hadn't even recognized the man. That could be dangerous. He would have to be sure not to let it happen again. Fortunately for him, it was someone that he knew. It was Jean Rennee, one of Irina's associates. Jean then held the gun to the driver's neck and instructed him to keep driving. The driver complied.  
  
"Jean, it's good to see you." Sark said. "I apologize for not having recognized you before, but I wasn't expecting this. How did you get in here?"  
  
"I've been working with the CIA for over a year now, Mr. Sark. Just for this purpose. Irina knew that one day this opportunity would come, so we were prepared. The men in the other two vehicles are also Irina's associates."  
  
"Very clever of you. I must say, I'm impressed." And, it was not often that he admitted that weakness. "What is going to happen to the driver?"  
  
"Oh, we're going to send him back to the CIA. We want to make sure that they know what happened." Jean chuckled. "They really must learn to be a little more selective in who they hire." He instructed the driver to turn into an abandoned airfield. "We made sure to knock out the satellite, so they have no way to track us right now. As the bus stopped, Jean unlocked Sark's hands and feet.  
  
As Sark stepped off the bus into the harsh sunlight, he felt a burst of energy, and also, an unfamiliar feeling of hope. He was free again. It had been a while.  
  
They were all hustled onto a plane. The driver was left chained to the bus rail. Let the CIA find him there. Maybe they would learn. Sark couldn't help but be a little disappointed when they took off and Sydney was not there. As he was offered some food and a glass of wine, Irina came to sit next to him.  
  
"Sark, it's good to see you. I trust that the CIA kept you comfortable?" Irina laughed. "I was lucky enough to sample some of their hospitality myself, although, my time there wasn't as extensive as yours."  
  
"Bloody hell, Irina, have your joke". Sark said, only half amused. "I, however, think their hospitality, as you call it, leaves something to be desired. At least I have more information about the prophecy."  
  
"Leave that for now. I don't want to talk about it until we have Sydney with us. It is time for her to learn everything, Aidan. I've kept things from her for far too long. There are also some things that you need to know. Things that I haven't told you." Irina had her reasons for not telling him how he figured into the prophecy. She knew that he wouldn't have understood before. But, now he would.  
  
Sark was more than a little disquieted at her statement. "You only call me Aidan when you have something serious to discuss. You worry me."  
  
"Don't be worried. I just thought that since my daughter referred to you as Aidan, that I might do so as well." Irina was enjoying this immensely. She had not missed Sydney's slip, and she would not miss the opportunity to nettle Sark about it. "It's not every day that you share your name with someone."  
  
"Well, I thought that it would be the least that I could do, considering all that she's been through." Sark stammered. Damn. Irina always had a way of unsettling him. "She needs to feel connected to someone."  
  
"I see. Well, Aidan, I think she does." Yes, thought Irina. And he feels connected to her. She couldn't help but think that this would be very interesting.  
  
The rest of the trip was spent in silence. Sark kept replaying Irina's words in his head. Somehow the prophecy included him too? He had never heard of it. The woman was definitely good at keeping secrets. He also thought of Sydney and he wondered how long it would be until she joined them.  
  
As the plane landed in Ireland, Irina spoke again. "Sydney will be here in less than two weeks. Until then, we'll wait."  
  
Well, so, it's hurry up and wait, is it? Thought Sark. He was patient. He did have to admit to himself, however, that his anticipation was greater than he had expected. 


	7. Chapter 7

*AN: Thanks again for all of the reviews! I appreciate all of the input. I just wanted to explain that the previous chapter actually happens during the timeline of this chapter (if that makes sense). In other words, his escape would happen around 3-4 days into this chapter, when Sydney hears of it. Sorry if that is confusing. **********************************************************************  
  
At work the morning after she had met with her mother, Sydney read through her resignation. She signed it. Now or never, she thought. Of all the ways that Sydney had imagined her CIA career to end, this was not one of them. In her dreams, she had always resigned in order to persue a normal life. She left to be a teacher and to start a family. And, in the latter thoughts, she had always pictured Vaughn. But, that was the past. She wondered if she would ever be able to dream of something like that again.  
  
She knocked on Kendall's door. He said gruffly, "Come in." He looked up from his desk with irritation. "Miss Bristow, I do not have time to speak with you now." He looked more aggravated than usual, and for someone like Kendall, that was saying a lot.  
  
"I think you will make time for this." She wanted to cram the paper down his throat. It would be good company for the stick that was already up his ass. "I am resigning. I no longer feel that I'm suited for a position here. I will of course, stay two weeks to finish the cases that I'm working on."  
  
Kendall read through the paperwork that Sydney had handed him. "I see. I can't say that I'm surprised, Miss Bristow. However, you need to remember that we will be keeping an eye on you. Even though you cleared our testing, we, meaning I, still feel that you could be a threat to the agency. And, I have a question for you. What the hell were you doing speaking with Mr. Sark this morning?"  
  
"Let's just say that I had a few words for him before I left. He has caused me many problems. He has tortured one of my friends, been the main cause of death for another, and been the plague of my life, aside from Sloane, for too long. I wanted to assure him that I would do anything in my power to have him transferred to Camp Harris. He deserves to be locked away and to die there." Sydney had become good at lying through the years. The trick was to mix in enough truth to be believable.  
  
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with you, Miss Bristow. I would have had him transferred long ago, but he was useful at the time. Well, his time has run out. He will be transferred within the week."  
  
"Thank you, sir." It was tough to get the sir out, but she had survived worse. Like working with Sloane.  
  
She was not surprised to hear that the transfer was a failure. Apparently, her mother had people within the CIA. She was not surprised. You would think the CIA would get a little wise. No one even questioned her about it. Good, she thought. I hate answering questions anyway. She couldn't help but wonder where they were now, and when she would hear from them.  
  
She hadn't visited Aidan again. She had her reasons. One was that she didn't want the CIA to wonder why she kept visiting him. They didn't need to be any more suspicious of her than they already were. Another was because of herself. After that early morning visit, she had felt disquieted. It disturbed her to feel that connection with Aidan. It even disturbed her that she was comfortable using his first name. She didn't want to have to deal with being in close proximity with him again yet. Maybe after she had cleared her head more, she would be able to be rational about it.  
  
The next week and a half was filled with wrapping up cases, thoughts about what was going to happen, and good-byes. Even though Sydney was ready to go, she still found it difficult. She knew she had to leave, that the CIA would be no help, but she still had some moral sense that she was committing betrayal. She rationalized this by telling herself that they had betrayed her, and her father.  
  
Her last day was painful. Marshall and Dixon came by first. She had to get through this. Part of her wished she didn't have to.  
  
"We're sorry to see you go, Sydney." Said Dixon. "We've been through a lot together. I'm sorry that things turned out this way for you. You were always one of the best. You deserve something better. I hope this move will bring you some peace."  
  
"Thank you, Dixon. You have always meant a lot to me. I hope you know that. You were a true friend." Sydney realized she was speaking in past tense. Dixon didn't notice. "You've saved my life on numerous occasions. I don't think I can thank you enough for that." She really felt this way. Dixon was always someone that she could trust. She wished it hadn't changed.  
  
"There is no need to thank me, Sydney. You've done the same for me. I think we can call it even." After a quick hug, Dixon walked away, leaving her with Marshall.  
  
"Miss Bri..Sydney" stammered Marshall. "Um, well, er, we'll miss, I mean, I'll miss you. Just ah.rest assured that we'll all be working to fight the bad guys. The real ones, this time."  
  
Marshall always was sweet. "I know, Marshall, and thank you. I will miss all of you." That, at least was true. She did miss them all. She missed what they used to be. What she used to be. Sighing to herself, she went back to work, packing up her few belongings.  
  
Later that day, Weiss stopped by. "Sydney, I need some sugar before you leave". She had to laugh. Weiss was always cracking a joke. "We'll miss you. I um, I'm sorry about everything. You didn't deserve this. And, I'm sorry about Vaughn." Weiss looked uncomfortable after his last statement, but she knew he felt partially responsible for what had happened.  
  
Sydney interrupted him. "There's nothing to be sorry about. Everyone thought I was dead. It's in the past now." She wanted to make sure that he knew she didn't blame him.  
  
"Well, take care of yourself." Said Weiss.  
  
"I will." She would definitely do that.  
  
The most painful goodbye that day was with Will. Things were so different now. She would always love him. He had always been there. But, she had wrecked his life. She was the reason he had lost his job, the reason Francie was dead, and the reason he was in a wheelchair. She didn't know how he could even talk to her after all of that.  
  
"Syd. I don't know what to say," started Will.  
  
"It's ok, Will. You don't have to say anything. You never did. I understand. Just know, that I'm sorry. And, well, I don't know what to say either." She stopped.  
  
"Don't be a stranger, Syd." His voice cracked. "I'll miss you. I'm sorry I haven't been there for you this time."  
  
"Don't say that. You have no reason to be there. You've already been through so much. I'm sorry, but I have to go. I love you Will."  
  
"I love you too, Syd."  
  
As she walked out the doors, she knew that part of her life was over. Now, she had to figure out how to continue with the rest of it. She headed to her hotel room and proceeded to wait. She wasn't very good at it, she hated waiting, but there was nothing else to do.  
  
That night, as she was sitting alone in her room, the phone rang.  
  
"Are you ready, Sydney?"  
  
Just one word. "Yes." 


	8. Chapter 8

Sydney was a little surprised that it was Aidan who had called instead of her mother. She wondered why. He had instructed her to be at Lax Saturday. She had a flight out at 6:20 p.m., under the alias of Emily LaGrande. She was to fly to Ireland, and Irina and Aidan would meet her there.  
  
As her plane landed, Sydney couldn't help but wonder what news her mother would have for her. She was very worried about her father, but she knew that he would be ok. He had to be. Jet-lagged, and worse for travel, Sydney collected her luggage and walked toward the exit. Galway airport wasn't large, but it was disconcerting to her, because she had not been here before.  
  
As she walked outside, a black sedan pulled up. She didn't even have time to wonder if it was for her, when Aidan got out. Interesting, she thought. He came for me himself. He was dressed casually, in khakis and a blue shirt. He didn't even greet her as he took her luggage and secured it in the trunk. She got in the passenger side, almost glad to have a few minutes of silence.  
  
Finally, Sark spoke. "I'm sure you have many questions, as do I, but it will be a while before we see your mother." He chided himself for sounding so cool. He knew that Sydney needed to feel comfortable right now.  
  
"Why? Where is she?" asked Sydney, wondering how long 'a while' would be.  
  
"She had to leave for a few days. Unfortunately, she didn't make me privy to what she was doing. It seems that I've been in the dark about several things lately." He sounded upset.  
  
Sydney wondered what he meant by that, but didn't reply. She was suddenly overcome with sadness and she was very tired. She leaned her head against the window.  
  
"I know that is a silly question, considering the circumstances, but will you be alright?" Sark mentally cursed himself for opening his mouth. Of course she wasn't alright. And, he had let down his guard yet again with her. It was becoming a habit.  
  
"Yes, Aidan, I'll be fine. I'm just very tired and hungry. The food on the plane isn't the best." She attempted a laugh. "I need a shower and some sleep." She was surprised at the sympathy and caring that she heard in his voice. He had been cool at first, so this turn of events surprised her.  
  
"We'll be at our destination soon, then you can eat and get some rest." He didn't mentioned to her that their destination was his house. "It's too bad that it's dark out. It's very pretty country that we'll be passing through." Reduced to talking about scenery, he thought.  
  
Sydney almost laughed out loud. Aidan sounded, well, almost human. And was it just her, or was he actually speaking with a little bit of an Irish accent? How funny that they should be talking about the land, of all things. "Well, I'll just have to see it during the day, then."  
  
Sark glanced over at her. She looked very tired, but had a smile playing on her lips. Interesting, he thought. He was surprised that they were actually having a normal conversation. It was a nice change from being at each other's throats.  
  
"How does it feel to be free?" Sydney broke into Sark's thoughts.  
  
"Well, it's certainly nice to be out of the glass cage. Fresh air is highly under rated." He laughed. "I assure you though, freedom is something that I'm not sure I will ever truly have."  
  
"I think I understand what you mean. In the line of work that we do, one never really feels free."  
  
"Yes. Well, that is to be expected, I guess. But, in answer to your question, it feels wonderful."  
  
"I'm curious about something, Aidan." Sydney said suddenly. "I've always been curious, I guess, but there was never an opportunity to ask. Why do you do this?" There. It was in the open. She was asking about him and why he went into this line of work.  
  
"'This' is a broad scope, Sydney. But, it's a long story. Just keep in mind, that everyone has a past, and everything they do is a result of their life circumstances. I lost my family when I was young. My mother, father, and sister were killed." He didn't elaborate, or want to. It was still very painful to talk about. "I was taken from the orphanage by Khasinau, and given a new life. I had nothing else, so I was eager to learn all that I could. Then, I met your mother, and she took over from there. I owe her for what I am. Sometimes I don't feel that grateful to her for it."  
  
Sydney noticed the bitterness that had creeped into his voice. "I'm sorry. We won't talk about it anymore." She also couldn't help but think that he had been around her mother more than she had.  
  
"I think I will tell you someday, Sydney. I want to." He wondered why he suddenly felt that he could tell her anything. "For now, why don't you rest. We have a little bit of a drive ahead of us. I'll wake you when we get there." He didn't tell her where they were going, and she didn't ask. They reverted to silence, each lost in their own thoughts, but still very aware of the other.  
  
Sydney lay back in her seat. How ironic that when actually felt comfortable for the first time in ages, it was with a known assassin sitting in the car next to her. Her thoughts strayed a bit more to her mother and father, and soon she nodded off.  
  
Sark had surprised himself by being kind and telling Sydney a little about his life. The biggest surprise to him was that he wanted her to know; to realize that he wasn't a monster. When he glanced over at her again, she was asleep. She looked so lost and vulnerable. He wondered when Irina would be back, and what she would tell them. He had a vague idea that this trip was because of Jack Bristow, but he didn't want to mention it to Sydney. She was worried enough, without him adding more to it. He was also intensely curious about the prophecy and how it involved him. He wondered if he should mention it to Sydney.  
  
He pulled the car into the drive of a lovely house. He swelled with pride to think that it was his, and he was back home. It had been too long. He stopped the engine and looked over at Sydney. She was still sleeping. No need to wake her up. He went around to the passenger side, opened the door, and gently picked her up. She stirred a little, and shifted so that her arms were around his neck and her head was against his shoulder. He found himself thinking how good it felt to have her in his arms. He wondered if he would have the pleasure of that sometime when she wasn't out cold. He carried her inside and put her gently down on the couch.  
  
He decided to go get her luggage out of the car and put it upstairs. He didn't want to bother her, so he settled a blanket over her sleeping form, and went to the kitchen for a drink. They had a lot to talk about. 


	9. Chapter 9

*AN: Just want to get some responses to the reviews in?  
  
Clemetine1: I'm glad that you like it! The dark side is so much fun. Thanks for r/r!  
  
Auburn: Hmmm..mildly interested? ;-) hehehe. Glad you like! Thanks for r/r!  
  
Leonsalanna: I'm glad you liked that. I just figured that he doesn't give his name out freely. Did you get caught up? The chapter with Sark's escape is kind of out of sequence, but I'd rather have posted it before than after. Sorry if it was confusing. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it.  
  
Inu_kami: Thanks! I'm glad you like it all. Thanks so much for the r/r.  
  
Wonder Monkey: Glad you liked the story and the plot bunny thing. (  
  
Fanatic 482: Thanks for R/R. Yeah, with Sarkney, so much has been done that it's hard to be totally original. Hopefully I will manage to throw some twists in here that you haven't seen before. Hmm..Irish/British Sark. Yum!  
  
SassyAngel05: Glad you liked it! It will definitely be a fun ride. Thanks for the r/r.  
  
Hopefully I didn't miss anyone. If I did, I'm sorry. I'm a little perplexed right now, after seeing the premiere last night, so bear with me. ****************************************************************** "I thought you were going to wake me up," said Sydney, walking into the kitchen, sometime later. She was a little embarrassed that he had apparently carried her into the house. She was perfectly capable of walking herself. He seemed to be an entirely different person. It confused her, but she had to admit to herself that seeing him this way was quickly changing her opinion of him.  
  
"You were sleeping. I thought you might need the rest," said Sark.  
  
Who was he to decide what she needed? She was about to make a comment on it, when he broke in again.  
  
"The bathroom is upstairs at the end of the last hall. Feel free to use it," said Sark.  
  
"Thanks." Sydney said stiffly and walked out. Same old Sark. Still thinking he knew everything. Did he ever quit being so smug?  
  
Sark marveled that her presence in the house was so normal, almost as if she belonged here. He shook his thoughts away. It seemed that lately Sydney had been on his mind a great deal. It wasn't just because she was part of the prophecy, but it was because of her. He hadn't taken time to dwell on it, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to. He was definitely developing some feelings for her. Having her here would be interesting. He realized he had been stiff with her, but he didn't know how to act, which was a change for him.  
  
Sydney walked upstairs, admiring the house. She wondered if it belonged to Aidan or her mother, or if it was a safe house of sorts. She decided on the former, noticing the tastefully, but manly decorated rooms. Safe houses were not decorated that well, and this wasn't in her mother's taste. She stopped at the room that she saw her luggage in. It was a darker shade of blue, with green and beige accents. It was nice. She then removed some soft flannel pants and a tank, and headed to the bathroom. It was a large one, with a deep tub, separate shower, and thick rugs and towels. Again, there was a touch of blue throughout. As the hot shower beat down on her, she left her thoughts drift back to Aidan. She thought that he was being very gentle with her, even if he was still hiding behind that smirk. She wasn't sure why. She was comfortable here, which surprised her.  
  
Sark poured himself another glass of wine and one for Sydney. As he stirred the pot on the stove, he was thinking that Irina had better have some answers for both he and Sydney when she returned. His thoughts drifted to her daughter. He had always admired her strength, and always enjoyed his encounters with her, good and bad. He knew that she wasn't going to react well to what he had to say. But, he would enjoy it.  
  
After her shower, Sydney got dressed, brushed her hair, and padded down to the kitchen. There was wonderful smell of bread and stew. Aidan was sitting at the table, drinking a glass of wine. There was another glass for her, which she accepted gratefully. She helped herself to a bowl of stew and some of the bread. "This is good." She admitted grudgingly. "Did you make it?"  
  
"Yes, I did. Does that surprise you?" said Sark. "I like to cook, but don't always get the opportunity to do so." He took a sip of wine. She didn't need to sound so condescending. He was good at a lot of things. She would just have to learn.  
  
"Well, yes, it does. But, then again, I've gotten more surprises from you in the past few weeks that I care to analyze," said Sydney honestly. "You look tired," she observed, taking in his disheveled hair and the stubble on his chin. It didn't make him any less handsome, but it was not how she was used to seeing him. Add another surprise to the list.  
  
"Too much going on in my head to rest." Sark answered with equal honesty. "Besides, I think we should talk." He tried not to notice that she smelled like his shampoo and how that made him feel. He was turning into a schoolboy, he thought. She looked very pretty, sitting there with no makeup and her hair wet around her shoulders.  
  
"Yes, that is a given." Sydney said, wondering why he was looking at her like that. Her spoon clanked softly against the bowl as they both got quiet. "You have a nice home."  
  
Sark stared at her intently as he leaned in, resting his chin on his hand. "I like it. I would like to be able to spend more time here. Unfortunately, I am away a lot." Sark wondered how she knew that it was his, without having questioned him about it.  
  
Sydney felt uncomfortable as the silence crept back in. It gave her too much time to think of how boyishly charming he looked leaning against the table. "So, you have no idea where my mother is?"  
  
"None." He wasn't about to mention her father. "She left three days ago, and the only instructions I received were to retrieve you at the airport."  
  
Sydney was irritated by this comment. "Retrieve me? Like I'm a package or something? It's nice to know that I'm considered to be of such worth." This was more like it. She was getting un-nerved by the small talk and friendliness. Not to mention that she was actually enjoying eating across the table from him.  
  
"Sydney, quit behaving like a child." Sark grumbled. Why did she always have to get her defenses up? "I simply meant that she asked me to pick you up."  
  
"I see." She was silent again, eating her stew. While they were on this topic, she might as well get another nagging question out in the open. "You said that you met my mother when you were young." She watched him to see how he would react. "How young?"  
  
Sark visibly stiffened, but he spoke anyway. "I was fifteen when I met her. I had been with Khasinau for two years then. She took over my training, and soon, I was her right hand. Her main interest was in Rambaldi, so I was sent on a lot of missions to obtain artifacts and information. I was to do whatever necessary to ensure that they ended up in Irina's possession."  
  
At this, Sydney interrupted. "Rambaldi. Always a priority with my mother." She couldn't help but sound bitter.  
  
Sark decided it was time to try to change her viewpoint. "Sydney, no matter what you think, your mother's interest in Rambaldi isn't for her own gain. Whether you realize it or not, she's known for years that you were the one in the prophecy. Everything that she's done has been to protect you."  
  
"What? There is no way that she could have known! We didn't even find the page until 4 years ago!" Sydney exclaimed. What the hell was he talking about?  
  
"That is because she wanted you to find the page then. She's known about it since you were a child. At first, she was led to believe that it was her, but she soon realized that wasn't. She realized that it must be someone closely related to her. Her daughter. Her love for you and your father made it difficult for her to leave, but she did what she felt she had to." He realized that his defense of Irina would irritate Sydney, but she would just have to deal with it.  
  
Sydney was dumbfounded. "All these years.." tears came to her eyes. "I'm just having trouble getting this to sink in." She couldn't let herself get upset now, not in front of him.  
  
Sark decided to throw in one more thing to think about. He didn't want to upset her more, but she needed to know. "Before your mother left, she implied that I was also part of the prophecy."  
  
"What?" Sydney had many thoughts flying around in her head. She didn't know how to deal with all of this right now. "How?" This was just getting worse and worse. She drank the last of the wine in one gulp.  
  
"I have no idea." He said with irritation. "She had never mentioned it to me before, and I have never seen anything to indicate it. She was obviously hiding it from me." Sark was pained at this, but he knew Irina had her own reasons for things. It still made him angry though. After the hell he'd been through to help her out, you would think she would be a little more grateful.  
  
As they sat in silence, finishing their meal, they were both thinking similar thoughts.  
  
What did the prophecy have in store for them? 


	10. Chapter 10

Sark lay awake, thinking. The rest of the meal had been spent in silence.  Sydney had been lost in thought, obviously upset by what he had told her.  He was sure that of all the things she had imagined, him being involved in the prophecy was not one of them.  Hell, he hadn't even imagined it.  He was growing more irritated with Irina by the moment.  He had been working with her for 13 years, and hadn't a clue that this was coming.  Damn her.  She could have trusted him.  He had certainly proven that to her over the years.  He needed to get his mind off of this damn prophecy.  It was going to drive him mad.  He felt sympathy for Sydney, who had to deal with much of the same thing.

He got up from the bed and crossed to his window.  The moon was shining, casting a shadowy glow over the room. The woman sleeping in the room down the hall now occupied his mind.  He wondered if she was sleeping peacefully.  She had seemed so tired after they had eaten, retiring to bed almost immediately.  What was going on in her head?  

Sydney had said 'Good Night' to Aidan and quietly went to her room.  She didn't know how much of what he had said was true.  She didn't want to believe any of it, but his voice rang of truth as he spoke.  She wasn't ready to believe that her mother was only doing what she thought was needed.  She couldn't.  But, for now, she was willing to try to understand.  She didn't really have much of a choice; since she was here, and this was the only step she knew that she could take to regain her memory and herself.  She realized that she was much more tired than she had thought as she snuggled down in the soft covers.  As she drifted off to sleep she couldn't help but think that she felt safe with Aidan a few rooms away.  Was he sleeping peacefully?

Soon after drifting off, the nightmare started.  It was much like it had been before. 

_Sydney was running.  She could hardly catch her breath.  She saw Sloane this time. _

_"You can't run from your destiny, Sydney, you have to face it," said Sloane._

_She looked right and left.  There was no way out.  Aidan appeared in front of her.  _

_"This way, Sydney.  I can help you," Aidan said. _

_This time she answered him.  "There is no way to help me. I have to do what he wants.  It's my destiny." She stopped running and turned to face Sloane.  _

_"No, Sydney.  You're wrong.  You make your own destiny.  I'll help you," said Aidan.  _

_Sloane was coming nearer.  He was reaching for her, trying to pull her towards him.  She knew that if she succumbed, the fate would be worse than death.   Sloane was near her now.  She couldn't breathe. It was almost as if she were suffocating.   She tried to break free, but couldn't move.  It was as if she were immobilized.  "HELP ME AIDAN! " she screamed.  _

Sark was still lost in thought when he heard her screaming.  He ran down the hallway; gun in hand, thinking that somehow, someone had found them.  He was shocked to see that Sydney was alone in her bed, writhing, and reaching her hands out.  She was obviously having a nightmare.  He instantly put his gun down and moved toward the bed.

_"HELP ME, AIDAN!  HELP ME… PLEASE!!!!" _

Sydney's voice held such misery.  He didn't know quite what to do.  He had no experience with this, having been alone most of his life. No one had comforted him after a bad dream since his mother had died.  He let his instincts take over as he moved to take the distraught Sydney into his arms.   "Shhh.  Shhh Sydney.  It's a bad dream, that's all, " he said as he smoothed her rumpled hair.  She instantly calmed down, but she was still shaking.  "It's ok now.  I'm here."  He gently rocked her back and forth.  It was amazing how wonderful she felt in his arms.  She fit perfectly.  He placed a gentle kiss on her head.  He marveled at how this woman was able to bring out the tender side of him.  He thought that it had disappeared long ago.

Sydney awoke to a pair of strong, warm arms, and a soothing voice, telling her that everything would be ok.  For a moment, she just let herself be held, relishing in the comfort it gave her.  She found herself looking into sapphire blue eyes, and she realized who it was and quickly shrugged his arms away.  She sat up, straightening her bed covers and tucking her hair behind her ears.  "Aidan, what are you doing here?" she tried to sound irritated as she shivered, remembering her dream.  She tried to get her heart rate to slow down, but it sped up again as she remembered the blue eyes and shivered again, but for a different reason.  He seemed to be looking right into her soul.

Sark stood up, picking up his gun, examining it as if it were the most important thing in the world.  "Sydney, you were screaming in your sleep.  You scared the living hell out of me.  I thought you were being attacked.  You're lucky I didn't come in here shooting."  Sark frowned, a bit bothered by the fact that she had pulled away so quickly.  Why should it bother him?  He had just been trying to calm her down.  For a moment, he thought she had wanted him to.  "I was just trying to quiet you before you woke up everyone within a 10 mile radius.  Then we would have been in a fix."  He finally brought his eyes up to look at her.

Sydney avoided his gaze as she tried to think of the last thing that had happened in her dream. Her stomach sank as she realized that she had been calling to him.  "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you.  It was only another nightmare."   She tried to shrug it off as if it was of no importance and that he was overreacting for something so small.

Sark ran his hand through his hair and sighed.  "There's no need for an apology, Sydney.  I wasn't asleep anyway."  Everyone, including seasoned spies, had nightmares once in while.  God knows he had his share of them. "You were screaming for me, Sydney.  You were begging me to help you."  

Sydney's mind raced.  What was she supposed to say?  "Again, I'm sorry for disturbing you."  She hoped that he would drop the subject, but knew that he wouldn't as she saw the determined look on his face.

Sark switched on the light by the nightstand and sat down in the chair next to the bed, looking at her.  "With nightmares, it is best if you talk about them, to keep them from occurring again.  Since I don't fancy running in here every night, I suggest that you start talking."

"I don't have to tell you a damn think, _Sark."Sydney retorted angrily, eyes flashing._

Sark regarded her calmly. "If I am in your dreams, I think I have a right to know what they are about."  He put a half smile on his lips to show her that he was trying to make light of the situation.  

Sydney sighed thinking that maybe he was right.  Besides, it would be nice to have someone to listen.  "It was about Sloane," She found herself saying.  "He was trying to force me into fulfilling my destiny, the prophecy.  I couldn't run, I couldn't breathe."  She shivered again as she remembered the feeling of panic at not being able to move. 

"Sydney, you're wrong.  You make your own destiny.  You should know that by now."  Getting her to talk was getting easier.  Was she beginning to trust him?  "Why were you calling to me, Sydney?"  He wanted her to answer.  He wanted to know if she really wanted him to help her.

Sydney gasped.  He had said almost the same thing in her dream. "You were there.  You said you could help me.  I wanted to give in, but you wouldn't let me." It was bad enough to have a nightmare, without having to admit to him that he was trying to help her.  She waited for a cutting remark from him.  It didn't come, and she looked up at him.

Sark looked at her with something akin to amazement.  "I see."  He couldn't help but wonder how she felt about it.  She had seemed irritated at first, but she seemed to have calmed down a bit. "Just remember Sydney that I am here to help you."  He wanted her to know that, to have trust in him.

She couldn't help but notice the gentle tone of his voice, and the caring look on his face.  It was so nice to know that someone was looking out for her, even if it was Aidan.  She was beginning to think that it wasn't so bad after all.  "I'm alright now." These nightmares came often now, and they were very unsettling to her.  She wasn't about to admit that she didn't really want him to leave, even though it was a comfort to have him there. 

"If you insist, Sydney."  She was certainly stubborn, he thought.  But, so was he.  It would be fun to see who would win this battle.  "I'll say good night again then.  I will see you in the morning."

"Aidan?" Sydney said questioningly.  She was quiet for a moment, as he looked at her, his blue eyes curious.  "Thank you.  For comforting me, that is." She felt that she owed him that much, but stumbled a bit over the words. 

Sark stood up and walked to the door.  He stood looking at her for a moment. "You are always welcome, Sydney."  He walked slowly back to his room.  It was as if he were awaking to the fact that he was lonely.  She seemed to make him want more than his solitary life.  He couldn't help but think that it would be nice to not go to bed alone.  Would she comfort him if he were having a nightmare?

Sydney lay there thinking.  Aidan mystified her.  How could someone that she had thought was so cold and uncaring be so gentle?  She admitted to herself that she wished that his arms were still around her.  Was it wrong to be glad that he was there to help her?  What would it be like to be sheltered in those arms every night?

The morning came early for the two, having got very little sleep.

Sark thought about the night before as he showered.  He wondered that why, of all people, Sydney was dreaming of him.  Though she wouldn't admit it to him, she was obviously having thoughts about him.  "Well, at least I'm not the only one", he murmured to himself.  After a quick shave, he pulled on a casual shirt and jeans, leaving his feet bare as he padded down the carpeted hallway.  Sydney was not in her room and the bed was neatly made.  He made his way downstairs to see her curled up on the couch in the library, cup of coffee in hand, reading a book.

"Hello," Sydney said.  "I see you finally woke up."  She felt awkward about last night, but played it off like it was nothing.  The memory of his arms around her and his gentleness was something that she didn't want to dwell on right now.  "I found your library.  I must say that I'm impressed.  I didn't picture you as an Emily Bronte fan." She said, referring to the copy of Wuthering Heights that she was reading.  She had picked it because it had been one of her mother's favorites.

"It was my mother's." Sark said.  "I didn't want to part with any of her books, so I added them to my collection.  I have read it though, and I have to say, I am in great sympathy with Heathcliff."  He admitted.  Why was he telling her this?

"Yes, you would be," said Sydney.  She put the book down, now at a loss for something to say.  She fidgeted with her coffee cup.

Sark was immediately aware that she was uncomfortable, so he tried to lighten the mood.  "I'm going to get some coffee.  Want a refresh?"   He wondered why he wanted her to feel at ease, when usually he liked nettling her.

"That would be nice," she said, handing him her near empty cup.  She stared at his retreating form.  She noticed how the shirt clung to his upper body, defining the sleek muscles on the arms that had held her the night before.  His hair was damp and curled up against the nape of his neck.  She would tell him that the faded jeans suited him more than the starched suits, but he was already cocky enough.

As he returned, she got up and walked to the window.  "So, what do we do now?"

Sark eyed her trim form outlined against the bright window.  He had to admit that he liked what he saw.    "Well, you said that you would like to see the country in the day light," he half-joked, never expecting her to take him up on the offer.

Sydney turned around, looking at him thoughtfully.  "You know, I think that is a good idea.  We could both use some fresh air."  Now why on earth would she say that?  Did she actually want to spend time with him?  

Well, well, thought Sark.  This just got more appealing.  "Alright.  You might want to grab a jacket, it's chilly outside in the morning."  Now he sounded like a parent.  What was it about her that evoked such a protective feeling?

"You know, I am a big girl," said Sydney, laughing.  "I do know when I need a jacket.  You're the one running around in bare feet," she teased him.   Wait.  When did she get comfortable enough to tease him?  Today would certainly be interesting.

"Touché." She was full of surprises this morning.  She was joking with him almost as if…well, as if she was his on more intimate terms with him. Yes, this day would definitely be an interesting one.  He couldn't help but hope that Irina wouldn't make an appearance until tomorrow.


	11. Chapter 11

***AN:  I really need to get this story wrapped up.  I'm going to try to write more this week.  Having the show be back on again is really playing with my ideas, and I don't want to change my mind about where I'm going.  This is another long one, but very _interesting_, so I don't think you'll mind.  Oh, and how hot was Sark on the show last night?  Wowza.  I'll being having dreams about that for a while.**

**Thanks again for all of the reviews!  I appreciate them.**

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They walked silently, enjoying the crisp morning and the fresh air.  Each wondered what the other was thinking, but neither said anything.  For a while they were content to just be.

Sydney didn't remember when she felt this alive.  It must have been when she was a little girl.  The countryside was beautiful, everything green and lush.  She was very aware of the man beside her, and took silent comfort in him.  She didn't know exactly when she had shifted her opinion of him, but she was starting to enjoy his company.  They came to an old stone fence.  Sydney walked along it, dragging her hand lightly across the bumpy surface.  She stopped and leaned her elbows on a post, glancing at the man next to her.  "Mornings like this make me forget about how my life really is," she said. "It's beautiful here."  

Sark didn't remember when he had enjoyed a walk so much.  So far, they hadn't exchanged more than two words, but he was at ease.  Funny how he, a man known for his watchfulness, could be this relaxed.  He decided that for now, he would savor the moment.  He was admiring more than the beauty of the scenery.  "Yes, it is," he said, with a look that made Sydney blush.  "It is almost untouched.  That's the beauty of it."  Damn, if he couldn't think straight around her.  He was more at ease with the constant bashing of wills.  She was beautiful inside and out, as he was discovering.  It was amazing that she could be anything but hard and cynical after all that she had been through and what she still might have to go through.  He could take a few lessons from her.  

Sydney couldn't help but read the double meaning behind his words.  This made her blush even more.  What was wrong with her?  Only a few weeks ago, she was content to use Aidan for her purposes.  She needed answers about the past two years, and he could help.  Now, she wanted to get to know him, to find out what kind of person he really was, underneath it all.  She wanted to know Aidan, the man, not Sark, the assassin.   "It's funny, isn't it?  How when we are young, we have all of these hopes and dreams.  You never think that you'll grow up to be a spy or an assa…." She let her voice drop off.  Now why did she have to go there?

Sark's eyes narrowed as he realized what she was going to say.  "An assassin?"  Couldn't she just let him forget it for one moment?  Was she never going to see him as a person?  "No, I don't supposed many children want to grow up to be a murderer, if that's what you mean."   He knew that he was overreacting, but she was good at putting him on the defensive.  Besides, arguing with her was almost easier than the alternative.  

Sydney's eyes flashed with something akin to pain.  "I'm sorry, I didn't…."

"It doesn't matter what you meant.  It's the truth, isn't it?  I'm just a cold-blooded murderer.  A monster."  He turned, shoving his hands in his pockets, and started to walk away.  He didn't know why her words had hurt him, he was aware of her views, but they made a mark on his heart.  He berating himself for thinking that anything had changed.

"Aidan, please wait", Sydney said, grabbing at his arm.  "Don't put words in my mouth.  Maybe I thought that at first, but getting to know you better has made me realize a few more things."  She didn't like to see him in pain like that.  Her words had hurt him.  And the fact that he just blew up hurt her.

"Oh, and pray tell, what are those things?" Sark smirked.  "Am I a hopeless cause that you want to fight for?  Perhaps you view me as a fallen angel?  I assure you Sydney, I'm not."  He ran his hand through his hair while gazing at her.  Why did he have to fight with her?

"You always have to be so smarmy, don't you?  Do you do this to anyone who tries to get close to you?  It's like you hide behind your barbs as a defense.  Can't you let anyone in?"  Sydney knew she was picking a fight with him, but she didn't care.  And, she admitted to herself, she did want to get close to him.  Why did he have to be this way?

"And I suppose you want to get close to me?  Get to know me better?  Well, I can be obliging if you like."  In one step, he was gripping her arms and making her look up at him.  "There is one thing that you will do well to remember, Sydney," his voice like ice.  "I belong to no one.  I've chosen my path in life, and I live by it," he said as his grip on her tightened.  "You seem to have some misconceptions about me. It would be in your best interest to keep your thoughts to yourself."  Why did she have to be so bloody irritating?  He didn't want to lose his temper with her.

Sydney looked up at him breathlessly.  His voice might be cold, but his eyes were on fire.  He was a man not to be reckoned with.  She had never met anyone that had stood up to her this way before, but she wouldn't go down without a fight.  "Listen to me, _Sark.  I will think what I want and say what I want.  There is no way that I will let you tell me what I can and cannot do."  She stared willfully back at him, amber eyes flashing._

Sark didn't even pause as he forcefully took her mouth with his own.  God, her lips were soft and inviting.  He didn't care where they were, or how this would end.  What started as a way to make her be quiet grew into a pent up passion that he hadn't realized was there.  He gave in to it as one of his hands found its way to the small of her back, pulling her tightly to him while the other cupped the side of her face.  He couldn't get enough of the taste of her.  His anger dissolved, and he wanted nothing more than to melt into her.  s  

Sydney didn't try to resist.  She was stunned, yes, but after the first initial shock, she threw herself into the kiss.  She hadn't realized how much she had desired Aidan.  All of the frustration and anger seeped out of her body as he skillfully manipulated her tongue with his.  She pressed her body into him, wanting more, as she twined her fingers in his hair.  Her thoughts were hazy, and her body was on fire.  A moan escaped her.

Sark didn't know why he chose to stop, but he did.  Curse having a conscious, he thought.  "Sydney," he said hoarsely as he pulled away.  His eyes had darkened to a deep blue and his breathing was uneven.  He looked at her, noting her flushed face and swelled lips.  The fire in her eyes was enough to make him want to disregard everything else and take her right there.  "I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have done that.  I was angry."  A look of hurt flashed in her eyes so quickly that he wondered if he really saw it.

Who did he think he was?  He only kissed her because he was angry?  No, that wasn't it.  He wanted it just as much as her, even if it did start out in anger.  "Don't flatter yourself. There is a thin line between love and hate, you know."  Damn him.  She wanted to cry, or better yet, punch him.  She didn't like having her emotions toyed with.  There was no way that she was going to let this slip by without a word.  "We are going to talk about this." She mumbled as he turned around.

Sark pretended not to hear what Sydney had said.  He didn't want to talk about what had just happened.  He knew that she wouldn't accept that, but he needed time to think. "I think it's best if we go back to the house," said Sark, gauging her reaction.  "I'm sure your mother will be here soon."  He knew she was angry, but he didn't know what to do without making it worse.  He wasn't used to dealing with this sort of thing.  He also wasn't used to the emotions that he was feeling.  For a while now, he had been feeling attraction for her.  On top of that, he was really starting to care for her, and that could be dangerous.  He knew that she hadn't meant to hurt him with her words, but he overreacted, something he rarely ever did.  He was used to having total control of his emotions, but she was turning all of that upside down.  Couple that with the fact that he wanted to take her in his arms again, and he was completely lost.

Sydney's anger had cooled a little by the time they got back to the house, but she was feeling a sting to her pride.  He had used the kiss to show that he was in control.  She had mistakenly thought that they were working past all of that.  She knew that he had felt something too, and it irritated her that he wouldn't admit it.  She was disturbed with herself, because it wasn't logical that she still fell the pressure of his lips and the heat of his body.  She tried to justify it to herself by using the fact that she hadn't been with a man for close to two years.  But, to be totally honest with herself, she knew that was she had felt was more powerful than it had been with anyone.   Once in the living room, they stood looking at each other.  Sydney was on the defensive and very argumentative.  "Aidan, we are going to talk about this," said Sydney, taking a stance to show she wasn't to be reckoned with.  

Sark was exasperated by her pursuit of the subject, and shut himself off from her.

 "No, Sydney, we are not.  Not now."  Sark turned around and walked in the kitchen, leaving her fuming.    

"You are a stubborn, conceited, jackass!  You can lie to yourself all you want, but don't you dare lie to me.  You know it meant something; we both know…." She trailed off as she followed him into the kitchen.

Seated at the table were her mother and the last person she had expected to see.

"Daddy?"  Sydney couldn't believe her eyes.


	12. Chapter 12

It was funny how in her moments of deep duress, Sydney's childhood habit of calling her father 'daddy' came through.  Before she knew what was happening, she found herself in her father's arms.  "Oh, my God, dad!  I've been so worried about you.  Are you ok?  Where have you been?" Her questions died off as she noted the look that passed between her parents.  "What is it?" she questioned.

"Sydney, as you can see, I'm fine.  I've missed you so much, honey.  I thought I had lost you." He said, caressing his daughter's hair as he held her tightly.  He fought to keep the emotion out of his voice, but the tears pooling up in his eyes betrayed him.  "Your mother has some things that she wants to talk to you about.  Hear her out, then we'll have time to talk some more."  Jack knew that after she talked with Irina, she might not want to talk to him, but she needed to know where he had been.  Irina had insisted on being the one that told her, and he was more than willing to let her.  He had never been that adept at confrontations with his daughter.  "I'll see you in a while."

"If you'll follow me, Mr. Bristow, I'll show you around," said Sark.  "It will give them a chance to talk."  He wasn't overjoyed with this prospect, but he didn't have much of a choice.  Jack Bristow was one of the few men that he respected, simply from his sheer determination and attitude.  That being said, he was also one of the few people that Sark feared.  He was glad to escape the kitchen though.  He didn't know what was going on, but he didn't want to be anywhere near the mother and daughter confrontation.  Besides, it effectively diverted Sydney's attention from their prior conversation.

Jack wasn't that happy with Sark being involved in this, but after talking with Irina, he understood the boy better.  He wondered how Sark would deal with the information that was to be told later.  Also, if Irina was right, and she usually was about things like this, he might someday have to accept Sark as his son-in-law.  The thought exasperated him, but he wanted his daughter to be happy.  At least Sark was more of a man than Agent Vaughn ever was.  He followed Sark silently.

"It looks as if you and Sark have gotten closer, " said Irina as she studied Sydney.  If she wasn't mistaken, the argument they were having was one of a more personal nature.  "You seemed upset with him though, is anything wrong?"  She waited to see what her daughter's answer would be.

Sydney sat down at the table across from her mother.  "It was nothing, just a little argument."  She wasn't about to discuss Aidan, of all things, when her father was here and something was obviously going on.  "Where did you find dad?  Was he with Sloane?" she demanded.

"Sydney, just stop for a minute.  I have a confession to make, and it will make it easier if you will just listen."  Irina knew that Sydney would be angry with her and Jack, but they had only done what was necessary after Jack walked away from the CIA.  She sighed as she prepared to hurt her daughter yet again.

Something told Sydney that she would not like what her mother was going to say.  You would think she would be used to it by now, but it still hurt.  What was it this time?  "Fine, mom, what is it?"  She steeled herself for what was to come.  

"Your father hasn't been with Sloane, Sydney.  He's been in Russia, gathering intel and working with me.  He came to me shortly after leaving the CIA."  She paused, knowing full well what was about to come.

"What?  You knew where he was this whole time and you didn't bother to tell me?  What the hell were you thinking?!  What was he thinking?!  I was worried sick, thinking the worst, and he was safe the whole time?  I don't believe this!"  She was raving mad.  She didn't have any illusions about what kind of person her mother was, but this was too much.  "I can't believe I trusted you.  I can't believe dad wouldn't contact me.  I had been gone for two years, not knowing where I had been, I show up, my father is gone, you contact me…" Sydney was too angry to continue.  She sat, seething, gripping the edge of the table.

Irina stood up, taking an authoritative tone.  Sometimes her daughter was as stubborn as she was.  "Sydney, be quiet and listen to me.  In your father's defense, I convinced him that it would be a mistake to contact you.  I finally got him to agree.  It was very difficult, he wanted to see you so badly, but we couldn't take a chance on the CIA finding him.  I contacted you because I knew that you could hide the fact that you had talked to me.  You have done it before.  I was not sure that you could do that with your father.  You've never been able to hold your emotions in check concerning him.  Everyone at the CIA would have known that something was up."  

"I am not some child who can't hold my emotions in check.  I am a grown woman, who has been through hell.  I deserve better treatment than this!"  With this, she broke into angry tears.  "I wouldn't expect you to know anything about how to treat someone with respect and decency, would I, mom?"

Irina wisely decided that Sydney needed time to cool off and to think about it.  She knew that she would be more reasonable when she calmed down.  "I guess that is your opinion, Sydney.  But, you know, deep down, that your father and I love you more than anything.  We will talk more later."  After stopping to lay a hand on her daughter's shoulder, she left Sydney alone.

Sydney sat in silence after her mother left.  How could they do this to her?  After everything that she had been through, what she had needed on her return was her father.  He was the one person that still loved her, that hadn't changed with time.  But, they deprived her of that because they didn't think she could handle it.  She was trained to compartmentalize and to lie.  It wouldn't have been a problem.  The clock ticked as she sat thinking about what had just happened.  She stayed that way for some time, occasionally hearing the murmur of voices in the living room.  She finally decided that even though it made her angry and hurt her, she could see their point.  She wanted to know what they found out about Sloane, her disappearance, and the prophecy.  She slowly stood and walked into the next room.  Irina and Jack were sitting on the couch, while Aidan was standing by them.  He looked slightly uncomfortable, but stayed where he was when Sydney entered.  "Ok, I'm willing to say that I can understand why you didn't tell me.  That doesn't mean that I'm happy about it, or that I've forgiven you both yet." Sydney said as she looked squarely at her parents.  "Right now, it's more important that Aidan and I be told everything that you know.  We've been in the dark long enough."

Irina sighed, but realized that Sydney was right.  It was time to tell them both the truth.  She looked at Jack for support, and he took her hand in his.  For once, she was going to let him help her shoulder the burden that she had been carrying for years.  " Sark, you've been working for years to help me find information about Rambaldi and his works.  You even sacrificed your freedom for two years.  You believed that you were helping me solely for Sydney's sake.  That wasn't entirely true.  I was also trying to find information for your welfare. I think you should both sit down.  This will take some time, and be quite a shock, especially to you, Sark. 

At this, Sydney quickly looked at Sark.  What did her mother mean?  Was she actually trying to say that he had been working with her mother on her behalf? She sat, looking to her mother to start the tale that would possibly be an insight on her missing years.  

Sark wasn't sure what to think.  He was already angry because Irina had hidden things from him.  Now, she was trying to tell him that she was looking out for him too?  It didn't make sense.  He would know if something involved him, wouldn't he?

Irina decided to get the worst out of the way first. "Rambaldi was a tricky man.  He had double meanings and hidden truths in all of his works.  The most important though, was the prophecy.  Sydney, you have first hand knowledge of what the prophecy says about you. What neither of you knows is what it says about Sark.  It will be easier if I am straight about it, even though it will be a shock.  There was another part to the prophecy.  For years, I protected the information, making sure that no one else found out what it said. The next part of the prophecy was this:

_'The man here depicted will possess unseen marks, signs that he is my heir. It will be his duty to ensure that the power of my works is brought forth for the greater good and not for malevolence.  On the path to fulfill his destiny, he will face many choices, and his actions will decide the fate of the future.'" _

Irina gauged Sark's reaction.  He looked confused as he sat with his head in his hands.  "Sark, it is a picture of you. You are Rambaldi's heir."


	13. Chapter 13

Sark sat in shocked silence, trying to comprehend what had been said.  He had to have misheard.  He stood and started pacing, rubbing his brow with his hand, a sure sign of agitation.  Sydney was sitting on the edge of her chair, with a shocked expression on her face.  She couldn't believe what she had heard.  Jack, as usual was not letting any emotion cross his face.  It helped that he had heard all of this from Irina earlier.  He did, however, let his hand rest lightly on hers.   Irina sat there, silently thanking Jack for his support, cursing the fact that her family and friends had been brought into this nightmare.

Sark continued pacing, occasionally stopping as if he were going to speak, then shaking his head, only to pace again.  There was no bloody way that he could be Rambaldi's descendant.  It wasn't possible.  He would have uncovered something in all of his research.  He had worked with Irina for years, finding everything related to Rambaldi that he could.  She had always said that it was for Sydney's sake.  Instead, she had lied to him like she had lied to everyone else.  He thought that they had a professional courtesy, that she respected him enough to repay him with the same honesty that he had shown her.  He had even pitted himself with Sloane, the bastard, in order to get an inside footing.  Now, after all of these years, she was telling him that he was a descendant of Rambaldi?  He chose his words carefully.  "Forgive me if I don't seem…thrilled, Irina," his voice strained and angry.  "I can hardly believe what you are saying.  After all, I worked with you for years, and you had given me no indication of it.  We were, after all, working together.  I made sure to share all of the information that I was privy to with you."  He stood looking at her for more of an explanation, his eyes tinged with resentment.

"Sark, there are many things that you do not know.  I had been a close friend with your mother since we were girls. When I left to go to America, we were not always able to keep in touch, but the bond was still there. I rejoiced when she met your father, had your sister, and later, you.  I told her all about Jack when I met him, and about Sydney when she was born.  She was glad that I had a wonderful family."  At this, she glanced at Jack and Sydney, hoping that they both knew how much she really did love them.  They were both looking at her with questioning expressions.  "Even when I did talk to her, I had to be very secretive.  I did not want the KGB to find out about our friendship, lest they use it against me.  They already had enough ammunition."  She stopped, looking at Sark to see how he was taking this.  She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and gripped Jack's hand tighter.

Sark regarded her quietly for a moment before he spoke. "You knew my mother?" he asked softly. His anger was subdued for a moment as he thought of his mother. He could remember her so well. She was so beautiful, so full of laughter. She had always been so gentle with him. His memories of flashing in his mind brought a lump to his throat, which he promptly swallowed. It wasn't the time for sad regrets.

Irina looked at him, seeing her friend in his eyes.  "Yes, I knew her well.  She was a wonderful woman.  She was certainly a better person that I could ever be," she stated sadly.  Her thoughts raced to all of the things she had done.  Although they had been to protect her family, that didn't mean that they weren't wrong.  "You are like her in many ways."

Sark didn't respond, but his eyes held unshed tears.  This revelation had brought many memories back for him, and his emotions threatened to overtake him.  He quickly turned around and walked to the window.  He stood there, body rigid, until he had control again.

Irina stood and walked over behind Sydney's chair.  She looked down at her daughter, love apparent in her eyes. "Eventually, I had to leave my home in America to protect my daughter and husband.  I was desperate to find any information about Rambaldi that I could.  I uncovered the prophecy that you just heard.  I went to your parents, to tell them what I had found.  I was close enough to them to know that it would remain between us.  At first, we thought it was your father, for you look like him, you know. They were as mystified by it as I was and were willing to help with my research.   They knew that your mother was a descendant, based on family records, but had no idea what that meant.  At that point in time, Rambaldi's works were just being discovered and no one else had uncovered much of importance.  After more research, we discovered that it was not your father, but you.  You were very young at the time.  We knew that you and your family were in as much danger as mine, perhaps more so."  Here she paused, as if remembering the past.  She walked over to Sark.  She wanted him to understand what she was trying to say, why he hadn't been told sooner.

Sydney interrupted at this point.  "Mom, don't you find it odd that the prophecy was about Aidan.  I mean, you had found out about me already, but wasn't it a little strange to you that the next part was about your best friend's son?"  She sat back in her chair, trying to sort out all of the information that they were being told.

Irina looked a Sydney thoughtfully.  "Nothing with Rambaldi is coincidence, Sydney.  You should know that by now." She addressed Sark again.  "If anyone wanted to use Sydney for the wrong reasons, it would be easier to do with you out of the way.  For several years we quietly worked to gather information.  Unfortunately Sloane found out about you.  He already knew about Sydney…" glancing at Jack and Sydney to see how they would take this news.  They had thought that they discovered it before Sloane.  " …but, he was confident that with his work with Jack, that he would have access to her when he needed her.  But you were a problem, Sark. He is the one who came after your family.  He wanted you dead, so that he would have the control that he wanted.  Your parents died protecting you.  They loved you so much, and truly believed that you had to be safe. We weren't able to save your sister in time, but Khasinau was able to extract you."

At this, Sark whirled around to face Irina, anger flashing in his eyes. "So you mean to tell me that I was working with the man that murdered my family?" His hands balled into fists so tightly, the knuckles turned white. "How typical of you, Irina. Your abilities at manipulation are amazing. You'll pardon me if I don't thank you," Sark spat at her in a clearly venomous tone. He was trying his best to disguise it, but Sydney recognized the pain in his eyes. Hadn't she had the same anguish and heartache when she found out the truth about whom she had really been working for? 

Irina didn't pause as she continued.  She knew he was speaking out of anger and frustration.  "You see, even though Sloane knew about you, he didn't have the page of the prophecy or know what you looked like, so it was relatively easy to hide you.  You took the name of Sark voluntarily, which made it easier.  You wouldn't have been able to hide from Sloane with the name Fennelly, for he knew it." At this, Sark blanched, not having heard anyone speak his surname in years. Sydney looked surprised at this also. She hadn't known that his last name wasn't Sark. "After time, I came to you.  I was confident that Jack could protect Sydney, however, there was no one to look after for you.   I erased all of your past, creating a new identity for you as Mr. Sark. I had promised your parents that I would look after you, to make sure you were safe.  The safest thing I could think of was to work directly with me.  You were trained as an assassin so that you would be able to protect yourself.  Sloane trusted me and truly believed that I was interested in Rambaldi for the same reason as him.  That worked to my advantage.  He never suspected that Mr. Sark had been the boy that he sought after.  After a time, he found some intel that Aidan Fennelly was dead."  

Sark felt ill, feeling his face drain completely of color. All of this time, he had truly thought that he had made his own choices, that what he had done was out of free will. Now he was wondering if it had all been a sham. He had just been a puppet someone had played. "So you just played with my fate, molding me into what you wanted?" Sark whispered, his voice dripping with disdain. "I must say, that certainly sounds like you were [I]protecting[/I] me."

Irina let her cool gaze catch his.  "Yes, that is true, but it [i]was[/i] to protect you.  I felt that if you were working with me, and in turn, Sloane, then would he never suspect you.  He was looking for someone with another name, another past.  He thought you were dead.  It never occurred to him that you were right under his nose or that someone that was to decide the fate of the future could be a dauntless killer."  She had wished many times that she had made a different decision for his life, but she knew better than anyone that you cannot change the past.

Sark let his cold blue eyes lock with her brown ones.  "I think I've heard enough for the time being.  I need to process all of this with a clear head.  Otherwise, I'm very liable to wring your neck right now, and I don't think you want that," Sark said, as the others looked warily at him.  His eyes were flashing with barely controlled rage as he turned and left them.

Jack sat in silence.  He felt for the boy that had left.  To find out that everything you had taken as truth was a lie, was a hard thing to face.  He knew that from first hand experience.

Sydney stood and faced her mother. "I don't know that I understand all of this right now.  I am part of the prophecy too, mom, it has ruined my life.  You kept it from me too," she said, glaring accusingly at her mother. To say this was a shock to her was an understatement, but she knew that Aidan would be more astounded than she would.  She still didn't quite understand.  She thought of the part of the prophecy that concerned her.

[I] 'This woman here depicted will possess unseen marks. Signs that she will be the one to bring forth my works. Bind them with fury. A burning anger, unless prevented. At vulgar cost, this woman will render the greatest power unto utter desolation.'[/I]

Did this mean that Aidan was the one who would prevent her causing total devastation?  "Mom, what does it all mean?"

Irina looked at her daughter and husband and replied, "I'm still not sure of everything.  For now, lets talk of other things.  I don't want to continue on this vein until Sark returns."  She went quietly over the couch and sat down by Jack.

Sydney stood up and walked to the window Sark had just been in front of, leaning her forehead against the cool glass, her thoughts spinning at a mile a minute. What was going to happen to them now?

Sark stood wearily at the spot where he and Sydney had ventured earlier that morning.  Funny, that seems years ago.  His mind was immersed in thought.  His family had been killed because of him.  They were ripped cruelly away from him because some 16th century prophet decided that he was the one.  They died to protect him. Irina had taken him in and did what she felt was best. If she hadn't made him what he was, he would not be so strong, so able to deal with what was to come. He still resented her for it, though.  For not telling him the truth and letting him make his own decisions.  He was normally an intelligent man, but for the life of him, he couldn't seem to wrap his head around all of this.  When Irina had mentioned the prophecy, he had assumed that it was something trivial.  Instead, he finds that the fate of the world was in his hands.  If he hadn't studied Rambaldi so avidly, he would have been able to laugh it away as some elaborate hoax.  But, he couldn't, not after all he had seen.  He knew that she spoke the truth.  

Sydney went to find Aidan after a time, and discovered him, leaning again the fence, shoulders heaving with racking sobs.  She was taken aback by this display of emotion, but moved by it.  She wasn't sure what to do, but she knew that he needed her.

For the first time in his life, Sark had let his grief take over.  He had not broken down, not even when his family was destroyed.  But, now he wept.  He wept for his beautiful mother, who had done nothing but love him.  He wept for his father, who was always so strong and capable.  He wept for his loving sister, who had plagued his life, but who had loved him dearly.  He wept for the boy that he had been and for the man that he had become.  He wept for Sydney, who was part of the same fate, whose life had been turned upside down like his. It was she that had enormous propensity for good, and himself, always the cold-blooded killer.  Yet, he was the one that would decide the fate of the future, and she had the ability to destroy it. Ironic, wasn't it?

Sydney didn't say a word, but went silently to him.  He heard her approach, and for once, didn't hide behind a false façade.  He simply held his arms out to her and relished in the comfort that she offered him.


	14. Chapter 14

After a time, Sydney and Sark broke apart.  They stood looking at each other, each knowing that everything had changed.  They were in tune with each other now, having more in common than before.  Sydney looked at the man who had before been only a killer to her.  Now she saw that he was a victim, the same as she had been.  He had really had no more choice in the matter than her.  Her mother's story had only confirmed that.

Sark's eyes spoke volumes. They held sadness at what he had lost and anger at the person that had taken it from him.  He looked at Sydney and saw his pain mirrored in her eyes. 

"I'll be leaving tonight," he said, his voice tight with anger.  "I'm going after Sloane." He would make sure that the bastard got what he deserved.  That man had been playing God for far too long and he was not about to let Sloane take away anyone else that meant something to him.  Now that he knew the truth about what Sloane had done to his family, he hated him more than ever.  He was going to make sure that Sloane never hurt anyone again.  

Sydney looked at him, her eyes widening with shock.  "Aidan, there is no way you are going after him right now!  We all need to talk some more in order to figure out what to do.  You can't just leave here half-cocked, expecting to stumble across him."  She had to talk him out of this.  If he went off like this, there was a good chance that he would never come back, and she didn't think that she could deal with that.  Sloane was not someone to be trifled with.  

"Sydney, I don't think you understand.  I am leaving."  Sark turned to walk away from her, determination blazing in his eyes.  His mind was dwelling on one thing.  Revenge.  He was not about to let the man that murdered his family live.  His fists clenched as he thought about the ways that he wanted to kill the man.  It would be a pleasure.

Sydney ran after him, planting herself firmly in his path, a stubborn look on her face.  "You can't go.  You don't even know where he is!  He could be anywhere and you know as well as I do how dangerous he is!"  She stood there looking at him, hands on her hips, her stance firm.

Sark stopped for a moment to look at her.  He understood that she was concerned for him, but he didn't intend to let that stop him.  When he spoke, he kept his voice cold.  "I have contacts.  I will find him.  He is going to pay for what he has done."   His mind skimmed over the names of the people that he had trusted before his incarceration.  He would start making calls immediately.  Surely one of them would have some information.

"Aidan, be reasonable," Sydney pleaded, placing both of her hands on his arms, looking into his eyes.  She had to make him see to reason.  "All of your contacts are over two years old and they all knew that you were in custody.  Do you really think they'll be willing to help you when they think there is a chance that you could be setting them up in exchange for your freedom?  Besides, they all know how dangerous Sloane is too.  I'm sure they won't be willing to give information freely.  Not to mention the fact that Sloane may have gotten to them first.  If you contact anyone, you may be walking into a trap.  I'm sure he's not happy with you for working with my mother in the first place.  And, when he finds out who you really are…" she trailed off here, not wanting to voice all of the things that Sloane was capable of when he found out.  It would not be pretty.  As much as Sloane needed her to complete the prophecy, he also needed Aidan out of the way.

Sark thought over all of the things Sydney had said.  He had to admit to himself that she did have a point.  He was allowing his feelings to cloud his judgement.  That was the worst thing he could do.  Emotions did not need to come into play here.  He knew better than most that you had to keep your head or else you could lose it.  He looked at Sydney, seeing the same emotions in her eyes as his.  He knew that she hated Sloane with the same passion, but she was keeping a clear head.  "Fine, Sydney. I will wait until we talk some more.  We need a plan of action.  I'm sure your mother will have contacts that can help us out."

Sydney had one other thing that she wanted to be clear on.  She spoke, her voice filled with determination.  "When you go, I'm going with you.  I have as big a stake in this as you, and I want the man dead."  Her eyes narrowed as she went on.  "Don't forget that he was responsible for the death of my fiancée," her voice cracking with the painful memory of finding Danny dead in the bathtub. "Among other things."  

It was Sark's turn to talk some reason into her, although he feared that it was pointless.  "I realize that, Sydney.  But, as of now, Sloane is not aware of who I really am, but he knows very well that he needs you to complete the prophecy.  You know that he will stop at nothing to find you.  I highly doubt that we'll be safe here much longer."  He thought of what Sloane would do to Sydney if he found her.  It was not pleasing to him.  "I think you should stay behind, maybe with your mother or father."  

Sydney's eyes flashed.  Nothing angered her more than to have someone tell her what to do.  "I will not stay here!  We are in this together now, and you're not getting rid of me.  Besides, if I'm understanding the prophecy correctly, without you, there is no chance that I can beat this."  She judged her next words carefully.  "I need you."  

Sark was surprised by her admission.  Sydney Bristow was never one to admit that she needed the help of anyone, much less him.  He realized then that he had to help her.  He knew that her determination was as strong as his own was.  It would be safer for her to be with him that heading out on her own.  And she was right.  From now on, they were in this together.   "Fine, but we work together.  Understood?"  

"Understood," said Sydney, looking up at him, silent thankfulness in her eyes.  She was confused by the look of concern that she saw in his eyes.  Was it for her?  Instead of speaking of it, she spoke again.  "Let's go back up to the house.  I'm sure my parents are starting to wonder where we are."  She held out her hand to him, surprised when he took it in his own.  Together they walked back to the house.

Irina met them in the doorway, and led them inside.  Her eyes were filled with anxiety, which was something that neither Sark nor Sydney was used to seeing.  "Sloane is in Tehran.  He has made several attempts to contact my people, and has requested a meeting."  She looked from Sydney to Sark to see what their reaction would be.

Jack walked up behind her and started speaking.  "I've suggested that she meet with Sloane.  I think it would be best if he feels that she is cooperating.  It will give us an edge on finding out what he is up to.  I intend to accompany her." He looked at his ex-wife with a flash of concern in his eyes.  He wanted her to be safe.  After all of this time, he wasn't going to let anything happen to her.  "Sydney, you and Sark will be going also, but not with us.  We need you to cover us, in case Sloane has other plans, which I'm sure he does.  We leave tomorrow morning.  He is expecting us."  Jack knew better than everyone how Sloane's mind worked.  He was not expecting anything good to come out of this meeting, but they had to try.  He was set on keeping his daughter safe.

Sydney looked at her father and mother.  They were standing together on this, and she had to admit that she was glad.  With a man like Sloane, a unified approach was the safest.  She looked to Aidan, to see if he agreed.  He nodded to her almost imperceptibly.  "We'll be ready."  

Jack was proud of his daughter, even if he didn't show it outwardly.  She had courage; there was no doubt about that.  He was also grateful that she had someone like Sark to work with.  He knew the young man enough to know that he could take care of himself and watch out for his daughter.  "Good.  Your airline passes will be at the call window at the airport.  Your flight is at 7:00 am.  You will be traveling as business associates Anna Cranetz and Max Welsh.  Irina and I will fly out on a private jet.  We are traveling separately from you for added safety.  For now, I suggest that you two rest up.  We need to all be at our best."  He turned and walked to the front door, looking to Irina to accompany him.  

"Here is the information on where to meet and what to expect," Irina said, handing a packet to Sydney.  "We will see you tomorrow."  She nodded to Sydney and Sark and followed Jack out of the house.

Sark was pleased with this turn of events.  He sincerely hoped that he would have the opportunity to put a bullet between Sloane's eyes.  "I suggest that we get our things together, have some dinner, and get some rest.  It's going to be a rough trip."  He didn't mention the fact that they would all be in danger, for that was irrelevant.  They all knew what the stakes were.  "We can talk more later."  He knew that they had a lot to discuss, but now wasn't the time.  Maybe after it was all over….  He left Sydney standing at the foot of the stairs as he went to prepare what was necessary for this journey.

Sydney walked over to the window, sightlessly gazing outside.  Tomorrow her parents would meet with Sloane.  Perhaps they would find out what had happened to her those two years she was missing.  Her thoughts strayed to the man that had just left her.  Another strike for Rambaldi, she thought to herself.  How many more lives were going to be ruined because of him?  She hoped for all of their sakes that they could take down Sloane.  But, not until he gave her the answers that she wanted.  She steeled herself for the coming day for it was not going to be easy.  She just hoped they all made it out alive.  She sighed audibly and walked up the stairs to pack her things.


	15. Chapter 15

Sydney walked downstairs some time later, having prepared for their mission.  She luckily had everything that she needed, minus a gun.  She was sure that Aidan would have a supply ready.  She walked into the kitchen, searching for something to make for dinner.  She was hoping that this would be a civil one, without them at each other's throats.  They always seemed to be at cross-purposes.  They needed to work together, now more than ever.  Besides, she didn't like fighting with him, though she did enjoy the light-hearted banter that they usually shared.  Maybe after his display of emotion earlier, he would open up a little.  She found chicken in the refrigerator and decided to prepare lemon chicken with rice.  She was deep in thought and didn't hear Aidan when he entered.

"All packed?" he asked in an attempt at conversation.  He was feeling awkward after Sydney had found him earlier.  He didn't like to let his weaknesses be known.  If he was surprised to see her fixing dinner, he didn't show it.  He admired how easily she moved around, preparing the dish for the oven.  He sat at the table, leaning his head on his hand, watching her.

Sydney jumped at his voice.  She was going to have to stop getting lost in her thoughts.  It could be dangerous.  "Yes, I'm ready.  I don't have a gun though, and I know that I'll need one." She turned to look at him after having put dinner in the oven.  It was funny how they were talking about this as if it were an everyday thing.  A day in the life of a spy, she thought.

Sark eyed her suspiciously.  Was he ready to trust Sydney Bristow around him with a gun?  With another look, he decided that he would have to be.  After all, she hadn't tried to kill him yet.  "I have that covered, as long as you don't use it on me."  He watched her reaction and was amused by it.

"Why would I do that?" she said defensively.  "After everything that has happened, you should know by now…" she trailed off as she looked up and caught the glint in his eye.  He was baiting her.  Well, two could play at that game.  "I have a different method of torture in mind for you." She said.  He raised his eyebrows at that.  Let him think on that for a while.  She decided to change the subject.  "Are you ready for tomorrow?  We will just be covering my parents, not taking a pot shot at Sloane."

"As much as I want the bastard dead, I want some answers first, as I'm sure you do." Sark replied.  He knew that they couldn't kill Sloane before they found out what had happened to Sydney in her absence.  He would take intense pleasure at making Sloane talk.  "Besides, if I know Sloane, he will have guards everywhere.  We don't want to risk exposure."   He stood and walked over to Sydney.  "Where is the packet that your mother left?"

Sydney picked it up from the counter, eyeing him as she handed it over.  She was relieved to see that he seemed to be back in control.  He was always the strong one.  "Why don't you read through it and I'll finish up dinner.  I haven't had time to look through it yet."  She put some vegetables on to steam and started getting things together for a salad.  She was startled to hear a choked laugh.  "What?" She said, looking to see what had caused his amusement.

"Just you, Sydney.  You confound me."  She truly did, he thought.  He was amazed by the influence they had over each other.  She had been the voice of reason earlier when he was upset, which was a switch.   She was usually the one who let her emotions run away with her.  And, he noticed he was able to let his guard down a bit around her.  All in all, he was glad that she was here.  Otherwise, he would be dwelling on everything that he had learned that morning.  At least now he was able to concentrate on the mission, instead of his purpose behind it. He sat back down, removing the papers from the envelope.  For a moment he sat, reading.

"What does it say?" Sydney inquired.  She ignored his comment from earlier.  She wasn't sure she wanted to know what he meant.  

"Well, as your mother said, Sloane is in Tehran.  It says that he has allies there and is working with them in order to collect more Rambaldi artifacts and to gain information on you.  He is aware that your mother and father know where you are, but isn't expecting you to be there.  They think that he will try to convince them to bring you to him.  If that fails, which it will, they are prepared for him to take drastic measures."  At this he looked at Sydney, noticing the apprehensive look on her face.  "Apparently, he doesn't realize that I'm with you.  That could be useful to us."  Anything to throw Sloane off guard would be a plus. 

"So, what are we supposed to do?" Sydney asked, worried at the possibilities.  "Obviously, they don't want us to be seen."

"There will be an abandoned building across from the location that they are meeting him.  Irina is going to make sure that surveillance equipment is set up.  We are to make sure that Sloane doesn't try anything."

Sydney thought about that for a moment before speaking.  "I see.  So, we are there to step in if something happens.  You are aware that this could all be a trap, right?"  She realized how pointless that question was after she thought about who she was talking to.

Sark was aware.  She knew better than to ask him that.  He gave her a flippant stare as he spoke.  "Yes, Sydney, I'm quite aware of that fact.  We'll just have to take that chance.  You don't want your parents doing this alone, do you?"  She shook her head slightly.  "Well, then, I suggest that we both be ready for anything."  He pushed the packet aside and stood up.  "Wine?" he asked.

"Yes, please." Sydney answered politely.  "Dinner is ready.  Can I suggest something?" She asked as she moved around, putting plates and utensils on the table, along with the food.  She placed two glasses on the table, and sat down.  She gave Aidan a questioning look.

"What would that be?" Sark asked as he poured the wine.  What was she thinking about now?  "Are you going to suggest that I save the sea turtles?  That I donate blood to the Red Cross?"

Sydney was exasperated by his dismissal.  "I know I'm asking a lot from you since it's going to be a terrible stretch, but can we pretend, just for tonight, that we are friends? That this is a normal dinner and nothing out of the ordinary has happened?"  There was an almost desperate quality to her voice.  She just wanted to forget for a while.   Besides, she enjoyed his company when he wasn't being cocky.  

Sark found himself searching for something to say as Sydney looked inquiringly at him. He was a gentleman, he assured himself.  He could definitely have a nice dinner with a beautiful woman.  "Why, Sydney, whatever do you mean?  Tomorrow is just another day and we will be doing nothing out of the ordinary."  He was trying to be flippant, but it came out a little on the sarcastic side.  He felt a little wounded that she still had issues with trusting him.  It showed plainly by the fact that she wasn't willing to admit that he was a friend.  He would have to work on that, he decided.  

Sydney flashed a look at him over her wine glass.  She decided that he was trying, so that was enough for her.  She took a sip of wine and smiled warmly at him.  "So, Aidan, what is your favorite type of music?"  So, it was a lame attempt, but it was a start. She congratulated herself for trying.

Was she serious?  A low chuckle bubbled out of his throat as he raised an eyebrow at her.  "That would be a wide range.  I'm fond of all types of music, but I guess my preference would be rock."  Sark played along with her as they pretended to be normal people, having a lovely dinner together.  He was surprised to find himself warming to her even more and sharing trivial little things that people share with each other.  He finished his dinner, letting his fork drop on the empty plate.  He looked at Sydney, who was obviously done, just pretending to eat by pushing her food around on her plate.  He thought that she looked beautiful and unsure of herself.  "Ready to clear up?"

"Yes.  We should both get some rest," Sydney said, getting up and gathering the remains of dinner.  She didn't say anything as Aidan silently helped her.  It had actually turned out to be an enjoyable evening.  It was amazing how charming he could be when he chose.  And when he laughed it was as if he was a different person.  She couldn't help but wish that things were different.  When they finished, she felt exhausted and a little saddened.  "I think I'll go to bed now.  I will see you tomorrow morning."  She suddenly turned around to face Aidan.  "It will be ok," she said, as if reassuring herself. 

Sark knew that she was worried.  He was concerned himself, but this was the only lead they had on Sloane right now.  "Yes, Sydney, it will." He moved to her, feeling at little awkward as he placed a hand on her cheek.  The awkwardness left as he realized his gesture reassured her.  "Good night."  He stood there just enjoying touching her.

Sydney leaned into him, enjoying the contact and reassurance that he offered. She kept thinking that she should move away, but the pressure of his hand cupping her face and the look in his eyes made her want to stay.  She moved closer to him, slightly tilting her face up to his.  She told herself that she was being silly, but she wanted to kiss him.  

Sark was a little unnerved by Sydney's movement.  It was as if she wanted him to..well, that was just silly. Surely she didn't want him to kiss her?  Not after this morning.  She had been quite angry about that.  He was relieved of his worry as Sydney took the decision out of his hands.  He felt her lips brush his softly.  Before he could react, she had moved away.  

"Good night," Sydney said as she turned around to walk up the stairs.  She wasn't sure why she had done that, but she wasn't sorry.  

Sark was left speechless and stood looking up at her.  He would never understand that woman, he decided.  The best thing he could do would be to get some sleep.  He passed Sydney's door, pausing for a moment, wishing there were a way to make all of this less complicated.  Soon, he thought, Sloane will be dead, and maybe they could have some semblance of a normal life.


	16. Chapter 16

Sark sat by his darkened window, looking out without really seeing.  He leaned his head back on the softness of the leather sofa.  Sleep was pointless, for there were too many things to think about.  Everything Irina had told him had brought back painful memories.  He thought about how his mother used to laugh and make jokes of everything.  Even when he was hurt, she tried to take his mind off of it by making him laugh.  Funny, how well he remembered that laugh, when he seldom laughed himself.  His sister was very like her in that way.  His father was sometimes stern, but not overly so.  He was a strong, kind man.  Sark had always wanted to be like him.  He realized now that maybe he would have that chance.  If he could make things right, maybe it would make up for all that he had done.  He seldom had regrets, but lately, he'd been evaluating his life, and he was not pleased with the turn that he had taken.  He was startled out of his reverie by the sound of the bedroom door handle turning.   He looked over and was surprised when his blue eyes locked with Sydney's brown ones. "Come in, Sydney," he offered when he saw her hesitation.

Sydney stepped inside the room, dressed in her nightshirt with her hair falling down around her shoulders.  She looked a little sheepish, much like a child would when caught trying to sneak into her parent's bed. "I needed drink of water," she said, making a feeble attempt to explain.  "I saw your light on and came to see if everything was ok."

Sark smiled in spite of himself, which let her know that he saw right through her. "Couldn't sleep either?" he asked.  

"Not really," she admitted, then shrugged, "You know what they say.  'Misery loves company...'"  

  
Sark sighed and smiled a bit wistfully, "True. Come, have a seat." He gestured to the empty spot beside him on the sofa.  They might as well spend their time together.  At least the wait wouldn't seem as long that way.  And, he could think of worse people to keep company with.

Sydney accepted the offer gratefully as she took a seat. She curled her legs under her, resting her chin on her hand.  "There is a good chance that my parents won't walk away tomorrow." She had been thinking about this since dinner.  After all that she had been through with them, she didn't think she could bear to lose them now.

"Yes, but we all know the risks, Sydney.  Your parents are doing what they feel is necessary.  I agree with them."  He looked over at her as he smoothed his rumpled hair.  Her presence was distracting him and she smelled like vanilla, which unnerved him yet again. He covered his unease and continued.  "This has to end sometime Sydney.  We might not like the results, but it has to be done." 

"I realize that, but it doesn't make it any easier.  I just want this over with."  Sydney couldn't count the times that she had said and thought that very thing.  She let her head fall back on the sofa.  She looked thoughtfully at Aidan and realized that this must be affecting him a great deal, but he was hiding it well.  That is what they did in their line of work, although she had to admit to herself that she wasn't always good at it.  She wished he would talk, but she realized that he was accustomed to being alone.  So, she sat silently, thinking of the day to come.  After a time, she felt sleepy and started to nod off.  

Sark stared at her, bemused as her head jerked when she realized she was dozing.  He couldn't help but think that would be uncomfortable.  He gently put an arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder and curled up against him.  He did not sleep, but sat there thinking of the woman beside him and what the future had in store for them both.

Slowly the dawn broke.  Sark gently shook Sydney awake and told her that it was time to prepare to leave.  Sydney seemed reluctant to wake, having found his shoulder a comfortable resting spot.  When she did, she smiled up at him sleepily.  He couldn't help but wish that today held something else for them.

They met at the bottom of the stairs and packed their things in the car.  Once at the airport, Sark picked up the tickets, and they boarded the plane, both playing the part of business associates on their way to a meeting.  They didn't speak of the mission at all.  Both managed to doze a little on the way, but were wide-awake when the plane touched ground.  They gathered their carry-ons and exited the plane in silence.

Sydney looked around for some sign of her mother or father.  One of them was to meet them there.  She saw her father sitting in the waiting area.  They made their way to him, but sat on the row of seats behind him.  She waited for him to speak.

Jack was relieved when he saw them exit the plane.  He had been afraid that maybe Sloane would get to them first.  He would never underestimate that man.  He spoke quietly.  "I'm glad that you made it safely.  Your mother is waiting for me outside.  We will leave shortly for our meeting with Sloane.  I have transportation waiting for you.  The key is in locker number 68, and the license number is on it.  You have a map to the building across from where we will be.  Your mother's contacts have everything set up for you.  Cover us, and in the case that something happens, be ready to act."  With that, he got up and walked out.

Sark looked at Sydney.  "We're up."  They rose and walked over to the lockers.  Sark opened it and retrieved the key.  They made their way to the parking lot and found the car.  They would change once they arrived at the building.  The business attire they were wearing would not be suitable if they needed to make a quick getaway or intervene.  They were relatively quite on the ride there.  The only sound was Sydney's occasional directions.

They found the building quite easily.  Sark circled around and parked the car some way off.  He didn't want anyone suspicious.  The grabbed their things and made their way into the back entrance of the building, easily slipping inside.  Irina's contacts had outdone themselves.  The room was filled with top of the line surveillance equipment.  Sark quickly unpacked their weapons, so that they would be ready.  He glanced over at Sydney as she changed into more appropriate clothes.  He couldn't help but thinking that he hoped to see more of her like that in the future.  She was quite beautiful.  He shook off his thoughts and changed quickly. 

"It looks like they haven't arrived yet," Sydney said, watching the monitor in front of her, but glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.  As she spoke, her mother and father pulled up in front of the building and after being searched by the guards, entered.  "Switch to the camera that the contact planted inside." Sydney said, looking to Aidan.  He silently switched.  In front of them was a clear picture of her mother and father.  Facing them was Sloane.  Sydney felt her heart rate quicken as hate pulsed through her.  Sloane wasn't alone, however.  With him was a woman that Sydney had not seen before.  That made her wary as she wondered who it was.  They were not expecting anyone else.  She looked to Aidan to see if he knew who it could be and stopped short as she saw the look on his face.

Sark's eyes registered total shock as he did a double take at the woman on the screen.  "Allie?" he murmured.  What the hell was going on?  He had thought that Allison was dead, that Sydney had killed her.  Not only was she there, on the monitor, quite alive, she looked like her old self.  


	17. Chapter 17

Sydney's head jerked up in surprise. Had he said Allie? As in Allison, the bitch who killed Francie and lied to her and Will for so long? "What did you say?" she demanded. She had to have misheard. Allison was dead; she had killed her. She felt the color drain from her face and as she looked at Aidan she knew the answer  
  
Sark looked at Sydney, his manner uncertain. He was shocked as it was; he didn't want to have to explain Allie to Sydney. Besides, he knew that Sydney would overreact about his part in all of this. He preferred to avoid that right now, but he knew that she was waiting for an answer and hesitantly said, "Sydney, that is Allison Doren. What she's doing with Sloane, I don't know." His voice held pure surprise and anger. He couldn't believe his eyes. Sloane must have re-created Project Helix. There was his Allie, quite alive. He suddenly felt sickened as he realized that she was still working with the man that he hated most. Why hadn't she tried to contact him? Did she know that he was free?  
  
The tone of his voice made Sydney instantly wary. He had called her Allie. Exactly how well did he know her? She felt a prick of jealousy at his intimate use of Allison's name. Apparently there was more to Aidan's background with this woman than she knew. She grew angry as she thought about all of it. And what was Allison doing alive and with Sloane? She turned her attention back to the monitor as the conversation began.  
  
"Irina, it's so good to see you again." Sloane wore a smirk on his face. "Jack, it's been too long." He moved to sit on the end of the desk in front of where Jack and Irina were seated. He looked as smug as ever. "How is Sydney?"  
  
Jack wanted to cut the man's throat, but contained his temper. His eyes and voice were cold as he spoke. "Wouldn't you know better than us, Arvin? After all, Sydney was in your company for almost two years." Sloane laughed. "You haven't changed, Jack. I'm glad to see that. There is too much change in the world today." He seemed to hesitate for a minute. "Pardon me. I've been rude. This is Allison Doren, Jack. Irina, I believe that you are quite aquainted with her. She used to work for you, if I'm not mistaken."  
  
Irina did not acknowledge Allison. Instead, she turned to Sloane. "What is it that you want? I know this is no social call."  
  
"You wound me, Irina. After all, we used to work so closely together. We both shared such a passion for Rambaldi." Sloane laughed as he saw her features tighten. "I too, am concerned for Sydney's welfare."  
  
Irina slowly stood and moved toward Sloane. Her voice was calm but deadly when she spoke. "I told you once to never speak to me of Sydney again. Yet, here you are, making the same mistake." Her movement stopped as she heard a gun cock behind her. She turned to see Allison pointing a gun at her. "How lovely, Arvin. It's nice to know that you show us such hospitality."  
  
"Irina, I will not play games with you or Jack. I want Sydney. Do you honestly think that I don't know that she is here?" He let his words sink in, observing the two people in front of him.  
  
With this, Sydney gasped and looked at Sark. He eyed her warily, wondering what she was getting ready to do. If he knew her, she would single handedly try to take on Sloane. He moved to place a restraining hand on her shoulder. "We knew that this might be a trap, Sydney. We don't want to do anything rash." He kept his voice steady, but he was worried. None of them had expected Sloane to know that Sydney would be here. They underestimated him once again. He couldn't let Sydney run out into a worse situation. He turned his attention back to the monitor as Jack spoke.  
  
Jack placed a condescending smile on his face as he spoke to Sloane. "Do you really think that we would let Sydney be this close to you?" He calmly surveyed the man across from him. If there weren't so much at stake, he would kill Sloane right now.  
  
Sloane flicked a look at Allison, who lowered her gun. "Yes, Jack, that is exactly what I believe. Knowing you, you would feel that she was much more safe if she were close to you." He smirked, knowing that he had hit the mark. "Since I have her so near, it's a shame to waste the opportunity. He nodded to Allison, who moved behind Jack.  
  
Sydney cried out as she saw what was happening. Allison was holding a gun to her father's head. Her father was sitting there, unable to do anything about it. "Aidan, we have to do something!" Her voice was frantic as her mind raced, trying to figure out what to do. She tried to move, but Aidan's hand was still restraining her.  
  
Sark knew what Sloane was trying to do. If Jack were threatened, Sloane would be sure that it would flush out Sydney. "Sydney, just wait. We can't just barge in there yet." Damn the bastard. This shouldn't be happening. He wasn't going to stand by and see Sydney's family murdered right in front of them. Jack had tried to rise. At this, a new voice spoke. It was one that he recognized very well, and he brought his attention back to the screen.  
  
"I suggest, Mr. Bristow, that you have a seat, if you value your life." Allison pointed toward the chair as Jack did what she said.  
  
Sloane flashed a benevolent smile at Allison. "Thank you, dear. I'm sure Jack and Irina understand where I'm coming from now."  
  
"Sloane, it is so like you to keep secrets. Tell me, how long has Allison been in your employ?" Irina knew that Allison being here was not just coincidence.  
  
"Why don't you ask me yourself, Irina?" Allison moved toward her. "After all, we used to work rather closely. I've been working with Sloane for years. How do you think that I met you? Coincidence? Sloane knew that he needed someone on the inside. Someone to get closer to you. Luckily, in all of that, I met Mr. Sark, which was another plus. It was quite easy for me to gain the trust of you both. After all, I was only a child." Her voice had lost the silky quality and became hard.  
  
Upon hearing Allison's speech, Sydney looked at Aidan, in apparent shock and anger. She had been aware that he was partly responsible for Allison's role in her life, for killing Francie and replacing her, but she had no idea that he had known her that long. She grew angry and jealous at the thought that Aidan had worked with this woman for years. She surveyed him, and as she saw the look of pain on his face, the answer to her unsaid question was apparent. He knew Allison Doren very well. She felt her heart clench as she realized what that meant. .  
  
Sark blanched as he heard Allison's confession. He felt a deep betrayal. It was worse than what Irina had revealed to him. His Allie, the one who had kept him human and who had shown him so much care, had been a traitor to them all along? He couldn't believe it. He had always been such a good judge of character. Apparently he needed to rethink that, as he realized that he was mistaken. She had been using him to get information for Sloane. He felt as if a knife had been twisted into his back. He was pacing the room by this time.  
  
Irina spoke again. "I see. Well, I must say that this doesn't surprise me, Allison. You never did live up to my expectations." She eyed the young woman in front of her coldly. "It stands to reason that you would pit yourself with a worthless bastard like Sloane."  
  
Sydney screamed as she saw Allison take aim and fire. Her and Sark heard the shot ring out over the speakers. Time stood still for a moment while the sound registered to them. Sydney was out of the room in a flash.  
  
Sark cursed under his breath because he was not quick enough to stop her. Damn that woman and her impulses. She was going to get them all killed. He cautiously followed.  
  
Sydney took out the guards in front of the building, running on pure adrenaline. She ran frantically inside at full speed, checking each room as she went. Finally, she found them. She ran to her mother, who was lying on the floor, blood pooling around the wound in her side. "Mom! Mom, are you ok?" Sydney cried, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. "Please, mom. Hang in there!"  
  
Sloane surveyed the scene in front of him. He was pleased with the turn of events. "Sydney, it's so nice to see you again," he said, amused at her bewilderment.  
  
"You bastard! I'm going to kill you!" Sydney jumped up from her mother's side and aimed her gun at Sloane.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Allison replied. She trained her gun on Jack. "Unless you want your precious father to share the same fate as her." She nodded toward Irina, who was barely conscious on the floor.  
  
"You bitch! I should have killed you when I had the chance!" Sydney screamed. Still, she dropped her gun and moved back to her mother, pressing her hands to the wound.  
  
Allison laughed, enjoying her part in this little drama. "It seems Sydney, that there are a lot of things that you should have done. It's too bad really. One shouldn't have so many regrets in life." She smirked, hitting Jack squarely in the temple with the butt of her gun, causing him to instantly slump over.  
  
At this moment, Sark was watching them. He had carefully made his way into the building unobserved. He took in the sight before him. Jack was unconscious, Irina had been shot, and Sloane and Allison had Sydney at their mercy. His mind was trying to process everything. He knew there was one thing that he could do. Slowly, he walked inside. He drew a deep breath as he started to speak. "Miss Bristow, it's so nice to see you again; and in such good company. I see you've met Allison." He walked over to Allison and spoke to her. "It's good to see that you're alive. I was quite concerned for you, love. You are looking quite well." He turned to look at Sloane. "Mr. Sloane. I congratulate you on capturing the Bristow family."  
  
If Sloane was surprised to see Sark, he didn't show it. "Mr. Sark. I had heard that you had escaped CIA custody with the help of Irina. It appears that you still have your best interests on your mind though."  
  
Sark moved toward Sloane. "I always do. You know very well how flexible my loyalties are. I've been following Miss Bristow here for days. She had no idea." He looked over at Sydney and plastered a smirk on his face. "It appears that once again, she has let her emotions get the best of her."  
  
Sloane was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "Mr. Sark, could I possibly interest you in working for me again? I could certainly use a man with your talents and contacts. I'm sure Allison here wouldn't mind it either. After all, you were rather close before you went into custody." He observed the two as they looked at each other.  
  
Sark looked from Allison to Sloane. "I'd be delighted." It was all he could do to contain his rage, but in order to get the best of the situation he would have to play this game for a while. He glanced at Sydney out of the corner of his eye. She looked angry and hurt. He hoped that she knew him well enough by now to know that he was playing Sloane's game.  
  
What was going on? Sydney's mind raced as she tried to comprehend all that she was hearing. Aidan was acting as if he were Sloane's ally. And, the way he was looking at Allison.. Sydney was filled with rage and jealousy. Had he been deceiving them all along? She shook the thought from her mind. No, she would not believe that. He was trying to lull them into a false sense of security. He had lied and said that he had been following her and that she had no idea. She had to trust in him because right now she had no other hope. Her worries ceased as she felt the sting of something in her neck. She looked up to see Sloane holding a tranquilizer gun. The room grew fuzzy as she struggled to remain conscious. She lost the fight, however, and slumped over. 


	18. Chapter 18

Sloane had Allison and Sark tie up Jack and Sydney in separate rooms. Sark was surprised that Sloane actually made an effort with Irina, instead of leaving her to die. He had her taken to a doctor, who was to make sure that she would not escape. Sloane had given Jack a tranq also, so neither he nor Sydney would be waking up any time soon. Sark figured that Sydney would be safe enough for now.  
  
Sloane motioned for Sark to follow him. When they entered another room that was set up as an office, he gestured for Sark to sit. Allison had followed them in and took a seat by Sark. Sloane coldly observed the two before he spoke. "Mr. Sark, I'm not sure that I quite trust you, but I do trust that you have your best interests in mind, so I know you won't try to double-cross me. That would be bad for you. Therefore, I'm going to share with you what has happened in the past two years. I know that you will find it highly interesting."  
  
So there it was. Sark was finally going to find out about Sydney and where she had been. "Mr. Sloane, I assure you that you've always had a worry as to whether or not I am trustworthy. I think I have proved myself many times, so I don't choose to begin this conversation in this way. You either trust me or you don't." Sark couldn't help but think that if the man in front of him knew how much he would like to tear him limb from limb, he would run away in fear. Instead, he plastered an indifferent smirk on his face and held his silence.  
  
Sloane started speaking. "True enough. As you know, before you were captured, I was working on finding all the Rambaldi artifacts and assembling them in order to make Il Dire. I mistakenly thought that it would be as simple as building a machine, then using it. I knew that I would need Sydney, because she was the woman in the prophecy. It was easy to put Allison in place. Unbeknownst to you, she was already working for me." At this, Sloane stopped to stare at Sark, who masked his emotions well.  
  
"Well, I can't say that I'm surprised. Allie has always been one to try to further her position." Sark couldn't resist the dig to Allison, who looked at him with something akin to contempt in her eyes. He scoffed at himself for having felt remorse putting her into a situation that she was already shoulder deep in.  
  
Sloane continued, still surveying Sark as he spoke. "You had been captured by the CIA, so Allison contacted me and told me that she had been compromised. Will Tippin had realized who she really was, so I ordered her to kill him. Unfortunately, he survived. He is of little consequence now, though. After Sydney's fight with Allison, my men and myself went in. Allison was almost dead, and Sydney was unconscious. We left Francie Calfo's body there, and took Sydney and Allison, and set the place on fire. The CIA arrived shortly after we left, called in by Michael Vaughn, who had arrived there first. He managed to save Mr. Tippin, but the rest of the place was burned inside. They could only use DNA to identify Miss Calfo, which they took to be Allison. They found no indication of Sydney."  
  
Sark's mind whirled. So, the CIA had believed it Allison due to the DNA. Of course Allison's DNA would match Francie's because of the genetic resequencing. The burning would have covered up any other indication that it wasn't really her. He measured his words before he spoke. "They told me while I was in custody that Miss Bristow was dead. They found DNA matching hers in a building that had exploded in Mexico."  
  
"Yes, that is true. I arranged that so that they would stop looking for her. It's rather complicated, but I had one of her organs removed for the DNA identification. It wasn't hard to come up with charred remains and plant the DNA on it. So, for all purposes, Sydney Bristow was dead." Sloane allowed a slight smile to appear on his face, which made him look rather like a mad scientist.  
  
Allison had been quiet through all of this, but now she spoke. "It's too bad that she wasn't really dead, but Sloane had this idea that he needed her in order for Il Dire to work. I would have gladly finished her off given half an opportunity." She looked at Sark, wondering what he was thinking with all of this. After all, she knew he wasn't one to take betrayal lightly. He seemed to have expected it from her though, because he didn't seem surprised. But of course, trust no one was one of the first things that Irina had taught them.  
  
Sloane flashed a glance at Allison before he brought his eyes back to Sark. "Yes, Allison is quite bloodthirsty where Sydney is concerned. For almost two years, I kept Sydney. I had test after test ran on her to try to figure out what to do. What she has been through would have killed someone with less strength," Sloane was almost admiring in his tone. "It finally occurred to me that she was the missing piece of Il Dire. With her, it would be complete. Much to my dismay thought, when hooked up to the machine, it did not work. Sydney was still too strong and was fighting it. What I didn't realize then was that she had to want to be part of it." Sloane stopped at this point, thinking about the past two years.  
  
Sark was trying to comprehend everything. "So, if I am to understand you correctly, Miss Bristow has to have a desire to be part of the prophecy or part of the machine, in order for it to work?" That was easy enough. Sark knew that Sydney would never want to have anything to do with it. Just as he never wanted anything to do with it.  
  
Sloane regarded Sark coolly. "Yes, in a manner of speaking, that is correct. So, I let her go after memory modification. There had been so much time pass that her old life was gone. I knew that if she went back, there would be nothing left for her. Her friends had moved on, her father was missing, and her love was married to another."  
  
Sark inwardly grimaced at Sloane's remarks. He felt sympathy with Sydney, knowing how hard it must have been for her to lose everything she had. After all, he too was gone for two years, in a manner of speaking. He thought Allison was dead and no one came for him. Then he found out he was part of the prophecy and Allison had been betraying him all along. "I see. So, now, you think she might be more cooperative now?" Sloane didn't know Sydney as well as he thought. The Sydney Bristow he knew would never back down.  
  
Sloane looked at Sark with a gleam in his eye. "Oh, I think she will be much more cooperative now. After all, I hold the lives of her parents in my very hands. They are all that she really has left. I would think that she would do almost anything to save them. Wouldn't you agree?"  
  
Sark measured his words carefully. "Your deviousness impresses even me, Mr. Sloane. But, judging from past experience with Miss Bristow, I wonder just how much confidence you really have in your plan." He let his words linger in the air before he spoke again. "Might I suggest something else?"  
  
Sloane appeared to be little taken aback by Sark's question. "Oh, do proceed, Mr. Sark. I'm very interested in what you might have to say." He leaned forward and gazed at Sark.  
  
There was a plan formulating in Sark's head. He only hoped that Sloane would buy into it. "What if you were to convince Sydney that you did not have her for the past two years? Maybe convince her that it was the CIA all along and that her parents knew about it also? She will need to feel sufficiently betrayed by her own in order to be convinced that you are on her side. You must admit, she doesn't have the utmost trust in you right now. She's convinced that you've had her for the past two years, and with good reason, after what you've just told me." He stopped at this point, looking to Sloane to judge his reaction.  
  
Sloane appeared to be thinking about what Sark had said. He poured himself a glass of water and after he took a sip, he spoke again. "Mr. Sark, I think you might have a valid point. I would like you and Allison to start working on providing evidence to Sydney that she was indeed held by the CIA for the past two years. I trust that you have enough contacts to help you with this. I'm sure that you can manipulate the existing video tapes and recordings."  
  
At this Allison spoke up. "Why should we do all of this? Just make Sydney do what you want. It shouldn't be that difficult." She didn't understand why Sloane always made such a fuss over Sydney. Allison had given up her whole life working for Sloane, and he cared more about some do-good little bitch than for her. And if she didn't know better, she would swear that Sark also had some feelings for Sydney. She had always had her suspicions of that anyway. He was always mentioning her after their infamous meetings on missions with a tinge of respect and awe. She hated Sydney Bristow and she hated Sark for putting her in the position she was in. Even though she had worked for Sloane, Sark hadn't been aware of it. And, he had willingly sacrificed her to Sloane anyway. She had mistakenly trusted him and thought that he had cared. She did however, have something else up her sleeve for him. Neither he nor Sloane were aware of just what she knew. And paybacks were a bitch.  
  
Sloane laughed at Allison's rage. "Allison, my dear, all in good time. Mr. Sark does have a point. I think it would be in all of our best interests if Sydney felt that she was working with us. It's been proven already that the machine will not work unless she is willing. Well, lets just make sure that she is willing. Report back to me when you two have the necessaries covered." Sloane pushed his chair back and got up, leaving the room.  
  
Allison and Sark eyed each other. Sark couldn't help but feel a wave of disgust at the thought of actually having to work with Allison again. It would be all he could do not to throttle her for betraying him. He had trusted her before, but he wasn't about to make the same mistake again. He warned himself not to turn his back on her. That could be a dangerous mistake. 


	19. Chapter 19

*AN:  Thanks to everyone for the wonderful reviews!  You are the best readers anywhere!  I appreciate them so much and it helps keep me motivated.  I'm sorry this chapter was a week coming, but my home pc died.  Ack.  Anyway, here you go!  Enjoy.  

******************

For a time, Sark and Allison worked quietly side-by-side.  There was tension in the air and neither felt inclined to speak.  It was rather easy to manipulate the video and audio feeds, for Sloane had a massive amount of footage of Sydney and of the CIA.  Sark was worried about Sydney the whole time.  At least since he was here, he could protect her, within his limits, anyway.  It was funny, really, that he wanted to protect her now.  Normally she was fairly capable of taking care of herself.  Still, she definitely needed him now.  He had questions that he wanted to ask Allison, but he wasn't about to do it.  He was angry with all that he had learned and hurt, on top of it, which he wasn't used to.  It was hard to believe that the woman beside him that he had thought he knew so well was really a complete stranger.  He understood more than anyone that people did what they had to do, but it really hit home that he had been deceived so thoroughly.

Allison looked sideways at him as she noticed his scrutiny.  "Problem?" she snapped.  He was making her uncomfortable.  It was bad enough that they had to work together on this, but the silence was terrible.  She wished he would just come out with it because he was obviously brooding.  

"No, not at all," replied Sark.  He had a hell of a problem with her.  But, he wasn't about to strike up a conversation just to get his hostility out in the open.  Instead he focused on finishing up the job they were working on.

Allison decided that it was time to speak.  She looked sideways at Sark and began.  "Look, I just wanted you to know that I didn't want to deceive you, but I didn't have a choice.  I've always worked for Sloane.  I didn't expect to develop feelings for you once I was inside Derevko's operations."  She trailed off, gauging his reaction before speaking again.  "I know that you feel betrayed by me, but it was all means to an end.  My loyalties do not lie with Sloane."

Sark sighed as Allie spoke.  He had cared for her so much, and now she was trying to explain.  Should he listen or just brush it off.  Sighing again, and running his hands through his hair, he decided to speak.  "Just like you didn't know that you would care for Tippin?"  He berated himself for letting that slip.  He retreated back to his business like self.  "Allison, none of that matters now.  We will be working together, and as you know, it's best to put personal feelings aside in matters such as these."

Allison was getting angry at Sark.  "I'm trying to explain things to you.  I haven't totally betrayed you, you know.  I have some interesting information that I have not shared with Sloane.  And, I'm willing to help you."  She knew Sark well enough to know that anything that would give him more information would intrigue him.  And, despite everything she still cared for him.  

"And what, pray tell, might that be?" Sark decided to take the bait.  After all, he knew that anything else he could learn would be of assistance to them.  Besides, he wanted to believe her.

Allison gazed at him for a few moments before softly speaking.  "I know who you really are."

************

When Sydney woke up, she had a pounding headache, her eyes wouldn't focus, and her mouth was dry.  She found herself strapped to a table in a large room.  She shook her head to try to clear it a bit as she looked around.  There wasn't much to see except a few small machines that were obviously there to monitor her vitals.  She saw no indication of surveillance equipment.  She couldn't help but be relieved that she wasn't hooked up to Il Dire, if that was Sloane's plan for her.  The last things she remembered were Sark agreeing to work with Sloane and Sloane shooting her with a tranquilizer.  Her mother!  How was her mother?  She frantically looked for a way to get loose.  It was to no avail.  She could only hope that Irina would be ok.  As for Sark, well, he had better have one hell of a plan in mind.  At first, she thought that maybe he was fully intending to double-cross them.  Then he lied about having been following her, so she caught on.  Where was he now?  Her thoughts were cut short as the door screeched open.  She turned her head to see who it was.  "You!"

"Hello Sydney," Allison said as she smirked at the helpless woman on the table.  She was happy to see that Sydney was not comfortable.  She couldn't help but detest the woman before her.  Sydney had always been foremost in Sloane's interests, and Sark's too.  Not to mention she had a few scars from gunshot wounds from Sydney.  Yes, it was good to see her helpless.  But, she was holding the upper hand now, and Sark was smart enough to see that.

"What do you want?" hissed Sydney.  She visibly blanched as she saw someone else enter behind Allison.  Sark.  As if it wasn't enough to see the bitch, now Sark was willingly working with her?

"Tsk, Tsk, Sydney, dear.  I thought you would be happier to see me," jibed Allison.  "After all, we parted on such good terms."  She laughed as Sydney tried in vain to break free from the restraints.

"I have nothing to say to you," Sydney hissed through clenched teeth.  "You killed Francie and pretended to be her!" Tears of anger threatened to overtake Sydney, but she gulped them back.  "You should be dead!  I shot you three times!"

Sark decided it was time to cut in.  "Sydney…." Sydney flashed a look at him for using just her first name in front of Allison.  "You need to calm down."  He tried to will come measure of clam into her.  "Allison is going to help us."  He surveyed both women.  Neither looked pleased at the turn of events, but he had already talked it through with Allison.  She agreed not to tell Sloane about what she knew.  In exchange, she wanted to help destroy him.  Not surprising, given what Sloane had put her though.  Who didn't want to kill the man?

"The only help she will give is the help of a knife into your back!" Sydney could not believe her ears.  There was no way that Allison would really be helping them.  And there was no way that she would work with Allison even if it were true.  Allison murdered her best friend.  She lived with Sydney and Will, pretending to be Francie, and then tried to kill them both.  And what about Aidan?  There was obviously a history between the two, and that made her angry.  She had developed feelings for him and now his dead girlfriend, or whatever she was, was back.

"Trust me, Sydney," Allison said as she glared at the other woman, "If it were just you, I'd happily kill you myself.  But, I happen to care about Sark, so I'm doing this for him."  

Sark cut in again. "Sydney, please.  We have to enlist her help.  If we don't, we will not be able to get rid of Sloane.  Allison knows who I am," with this Sydney gaped at him "and has not told Sloane.  I think that is a good indication that I can trust her." He knew that he couldn't really trust Allison, but he couldn't risk not taking up her offer of assistance.  If she told Sloane who he was, then there wouldn't be any hope.

Sydney still wasn't convinced.  No one could ever persuade her that Allison was trustworthy.  "You of all people should know that you can't trust her," Sydney snapped at him.  She knew her remark had hit home as she saw his jaw clench.

Allison was surveying the two in front of her.  Yes, she was doing this for Sark.    Otherwise… She inwardly laughed at the look of hatred and frustration on Sydney's face.  "Well, Sydney, the way I see it, you really don't have much of a choice.  I'm your only hope right now."


	20. Chapter 20

Sark was left alone with Sydney.  Allison had gone to give the video and audio manipulations to Sloane.  Sark only had a few moments, but he had to let Sydney know what was going on.  If he didn't give her some idea, it would never work.  He bent near her on the table, in case any of Sloane's minions were about.  "Sydney, you have to listen to me.  I need to tell you what is going on.  I was able to get Sloane to agree that you needed to believe that the CIA had you for those two years instead of him."  He ignored her shocked looked and continued.  "It was the only way that I could think of to get Sloane to let you go.  If you pretend to believe in what we show you, he's going to think that you will come to his side.  He will free you in exchange for your cooperation."

Sydney was taking in all that Aidan said.  She couldn't quite follow him, but he was speaking urgently, so she realized that he didn't have much time.  "Wait, I'm trying to sort this all out.  You got Sloane to agree that if I thought the CIA was behind my disappearance I would work with him?"  She tired to control her anger because she realized that Aidan was right.  It was the only way right now.  She knew that from the concern in Aidan's eyes that it was imperative that she go along with the plan.  

Sark nodded and took Sydney's hand.  "I'm sorry that it has to be done this way and I'm sorry that we will have to work with Allison, but I can't see any other way to save you and your parents."  He thought that she would rebel against this and was surprised when she nodded her head.  He looked into her eyes and saw that they were brimming with unshed tears.  "It will be ok," he said, trying to reassure her.

Sydney was a little comforted by his words and the feel of his warm hand squeezing hers.  She didn't want to talk about Allison or Sloane.  She just wanted all of this to be over and for them all to be safe.  "Have you heard anything about my mother?" she asked, her voice full of apprehension and eyes full of worry.  Please let her be alive, she thought.  I can't lose her all over again.

"She is stable.  Sloane had a doctor here and she is with him."  Sark had been surprised that Sloane had made the effort, but he knew that the man had kept Irina alive for a reason.  He just didn't know what.  He almost smiled at the sigh of relief that Sydney let out.  "She will be ok, Sydney.  Your father is a few rooms down.  Sloane gave him a tranq too, and he is still out.  I'm sorry, but I have to go now."  He let go of her hand and moved toward the door.  "Be strong.  We will get through this."  He turned and walked out, leaving her alone.

As he walked away, he couldn't help but wonder how this would all play out.  He wanted Sloane dead.  But, before that, they needed answers about he prophecy.  As for Allison, he couldn't let himself have much trust in her.  He realized that her words rang true, that she seemed to want Sloane dead as much as Sydney and himself, but he couldn't rely on his instincts with her anymore.  He had loved her once, and still cared for her, but it wasn't enough.  For now, he would work with her.

Sydney's mind raced once she was alone again.  Aidan had explained what she needed to do, so she tried to steel herself to play the part that she needed to.  This was the final act.  If she failed, they were all as good as dead.  If Allison chose to use her knowledge against Aidan, Sloane would not hesitate to kill him.  She did not trust her, but she had not told Sloane yet.  She wasn't sure what Allison had up her sleeve, but it had to be something. The woman was evil.  But, Sydney recognized the look in Allison's eyes as she looked at Aidan.  Love.  No one can fake that unmistakable look.  Not even the best of them.  Allison loved him.  The thought made Sydney's stomach turn.  She wondered if Aidan returned the feeling and her stomach sank farther.  At least for now they could use it to their advantage.

****************

Sark walked in on Allison and Sloane.  They stopped talking and looked at him when he walked into the room, making him immediately suspicious.  He stood in front of them, his cool blue eyes raking from one to the other.  "Did I interrupt something?"  Allison flashed a warning look at him.  Sloane did not notice it, but Sark did.  He knew her well enough to know that she had something up her sleeve.  Well, for her sake, it had better be double-crossing Sloane.

"Not at all," Sloane replied.  Allison and I were just discussing the best way to introduce Sydney to these videos.  Allison thought it best if she do it. She feels that since Sydney knows what she is that she might believe her the most.  Sydney will realize that Allison has no reason to lie to her." 

Sark looked at Allison suspiciously as he noticed the smirk on her face.  What was she planning?  Was she going to use this as an opportunity to goad Sydney?  He wouldn't put it past her.  Her dislike was evident, even two years ago when she first went in as Francie.  But, he couldn't exactly oppose Sloane's suggestion so his reply was simple.  "When will you start, Allison?"  He looked at the woman that he hardly knew anymore and was chilled when he saw the evil look in her eyes.

Allison's brown eyes surveyed Sark as he asked her the question.  He didn't let any emotions slip into his expression, but she knew that he was not happy about this.  Too bad, she thought.  She realized now what she had suspicions of all along.  He had feelings for Sydney.  She was going to enjoy this.  "I think now is a good time, don't you?" She addressed Sloane as she spoke.  He nodded and handed her the tapes that she and Sark had manipulated.  She walked out of the room leaving the two men behind.  Yes, this was definitely going to be fun.

Sydney looked over as the door to the room opened once again.  Damn.  Allison.  What the hell was she doing here again?  Since there wasn't much she could do about it, Sydney turned her head and pretended the woman didn't exist.  Maybe if she just ignored her, she would go away.  That didn't happen.  She stared straight ahead as the other woman started to speak.

"Hello, Syd," Allison said, knowing the intimate nickname would irritate Sydney.  Her dark eyes sparkled as she saw Sydney's jaw tighten.  "I thought you might like some company.  After all, I was your roommate once.  You know, it's too bad about Francie.  I was just doing my job you know."  She laughed as she spoke.  "She seemed nice enough.  She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Sydney had listened to enough.  "Listen, you bitch.  I don't care what you say, I don't trust you.  Don't ever speak to me about Francie again or I will kill you."  Her voice held cold menace as she looked Allison right in the eye.

"Well, let's see.  Right now, I don't think you are in the position to do anything about it, you know.  But, there are other things that I want to talk about anyway.  Sark, for instance."  Allison looked at Sydney and knew that she had struck another nerve.  "Do you really think he'll change?  I know what kind of person he is much better than you.  I _know_ him."  She left her implication hanging in the air.

Sydney immediately understood what Allison was getting at.  She was obviously trying to mark her territory.  Well, let her.  Sydney knew a side of Aidan now that she hadn't before.  And, she also knew that he didn't take betrayal lightly.  "What I think, Allison, is that you don't know Aidan at all.  But, you would like to."  She watched Allison's features tighten and her eyes grow cold.  It was a direct hit.  "What's the matter Allison?  Afraid of a little competition?"  


	21. Chapter 21

Allison surveyed the woman strapped to the table. Interesting. So, Sydney considered herself to be competition, did she? Well, she would have to see about that. "I'm not going to show you these video feeds, Syd", she continued in a patronizing voice, ignoring Sydney's comment. "It's pointless, since we both know they are fake. The important thing is for Sloane to believe that you saw them and are now doubting what happened. Besides, now we have more time to chat." Allison laughed at the look on Sydney's face.  
  
"As if I'd ever want to chat with you." Sydney said in a cold voice. "To me, you are nothing. It might be best if you get used to that." She looked at the other woman and decided that she would not let herself be bothered. "So, if you're looking for a best friend, I suggest you look elsewhere." She noted Allison's narrowed eyes and was glad that she was able to irritate the other woman.  
  
Allison was aggravated that Sydney seemed unruffled by her taunting. She changed her tactic and moved closer, whispering into Sydney's ear. "You know, Sark is a very interesting man, don't you think? I know that first hand." She smiled as she saw Sydney squirming. "Too bad you won't have the chance to get to know him better. He'll never change, and you had better accept that. Besides, with our history, I think I know where he will be when this is all over." Allison only wished that she felt as confident of that as she sounded. She honestly didn't know.   
  
Both women looked toward the door as they heard a noise. Sark had decided that he'd better see what Allison was up to. Sydney was pretty much defenseless and he didn't want her to be provoked unnecessarily. He saw that he was a little late for that. When he entered, Allison was bent over, her voice barely audible. Sydney looked ready to kill her. Allison didn't realize how lucky she was that Sydney couldn't move. He was quite sure that Allison would have Sydney's hands wrapped around her neck if she wasn't strapped down. "Allison, may I ask what you are doing?" He eyed the woman suspiciously as he spoke.  
  
"Just chatting with Sydney, dear," Allison purred as she walked up to him. "Sark, I think we should leave her alone for a while. I'm sure Sloane will be wanting to talk to her soon." She ran her hand down his arm. "We will have time to catch up." She glanced back at Sydney and walked out the door.  
  
Sark was almost amused. Allison was definitely trying to irritate Sydney. Well, let her try. That's all that it was going to be. If she thought he would go back to her, she was sorely mistaken. He walked over to Sydney, releasing her bonds. "Sloane will be in to see you shortly. If he asks why you are free, tell him it was my doing." He looked at Sydney as she sat up and rubbed her wrists. He helped her stand so that she could get the circulation back into her limbs.  
  
"What do I need to do, Aidan?" Sydney asked, surveying him. He looked tired and his hair was rumpled. He was still wearing the same black leather pants, black t-shirt, and black leather duster that he had on when they were surveiling the building. She had to admit, even with his disheveled hair and growth of stubble, he was sexy as hell. She shook the thought away as he started to speak.  
  
Sydney looked so vulnerable standing there, looking up at him. He wished he could just take her away from all of this now, but he couldn't do that. They had to play this out. "You must convince Sloane that you are now doubting that he had anything to do with your disappearance. He needs to believe that you truly think that it might have been a set up by the CIA. Don't go overboard. If you do a complete about face right now, he will definitely be suspicious." Sark looked at her as she became noticeably pensive. "Will you be able to do this?" He knew how much she hated Sloane. Would she be able to hold that in check long enough to convince him?  
  
"I can do it because I have to. It's the only way to end all of this once and for all. As much as I hate Sloane, we have to wait in order to destroy Il Dire and ensure my parent's safety." She thought again of her father and mother. She hoped they were still doing ok. She didn't want to think about the alternative. "Aidan?" She looked questioningly at him. She didn't know how to ask him if he would be there to help her. So, she just stood there lamely, looking at him.  
  
Sark knew what she was thinking. He spoke before she could say anymore. "I will be here. Trust in that. Contrary to what you may or may not believe about me, I am loyal to a fault when I have a personal stake in it." He noticed that she was looking angry and realized he had said the wrong thing. Would she ever just trust in him? "No, it's not because of my own life, Sydney. It's because of you." He didn't say anymore, but he didn't feel that he needed to. She would learn soon enough.   
  
Sydney was about to make a retort about his selfishness when he said that his personal stake was because of her. When did he start caring so much about her? She softened immediately and realized she needed to stop jumping to conclusions about him. As a way of apology she decided to get something she had been thinking of out into the open. "I feel the same way, Aidan." She looked into his sapphire eyes and realized they had softened as they were speaking. She placed her hands into his and stood looking up at him.  
  
Sark wished they were anywhere but here. How was it that this woman got under his skin so much? He stopped trying to analyze his feelings and spoke again. "Sydney, whatever you do, please be careful," his voice carried worry, which he usually didn't let slip in. "Sloane is dangerous." He knew that it was an irrelevant thing to say. They both knew what Sloane was.   
  
"I know that better than anyone. And, I will be careful. Promise me that you will do the same." She just found the real Aidan, she couldn't bear to lose him now. "If he finds out…" She couldn't even finish.  
  
"I promise. I'm going to leave you now, for Sloane will be here soon. I will go check on your mother and father." He looked reassuringly at her. "Good luck." With that, he leaned over, placed a soft kiss on her forehead and looked down at her. "I'll see you soon." He walked out and locked the door behind him.  
  
Sydney was tired of being left alone. At least now she was free. Well, as free as one could get while being locked in a room with only one way out. She tried to prepare herself for her confrontation with Sloane. Allison had left the tapes in the room, along with the small television that she had brought in. Sydney decided to watch the tapes, for nothing else than to see what really happened to her. She put one in the VCR and turned it on.   
  
Immediately, she saw herself on the screen. She was strapped to a table, multiple machines hooked up to her body. Her eyes were closed and she was twitching, almost as if experiencing seizures. Sydney felt like she was going to vomit. She knew that Sloane had done this to her, yet she had to pretend that she wasn't sure what to believe now. To only further disturb her, a familiar figure appeared on the screen. Vaughn. Right behind him was her father. They appeared to be talking to each other while observing her. She knew this was manipulated, but it hurt just the same.   
  
She intently watched the screen as her eyes opened and she screamed. Sydney flinched as she realized she must have been in great pain. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she mourned for the person that she used to be and for the life she used to have. Sloane would pay for this. She sat down, cross-legged on the floor and stared at the television, watching and waiting. Her concentration was broken as the door opened. She jumped up and turned around, reflexes kicking in. Sloane. Well, she thought, it was now or never. Let the games begin.


	22. Chapter 22

Sark was thinking quickly as he left Sydney alone.  He knew that she would have a hard time facing off with Sloane, but hoped that she could handle it.  She always had a tendency to let her emotions take over.  He hoped this wasn't one of those times.  Sloane would not kill her, but he wouldn't put much else past the man.  He knew the building was heavily secured, but he also knew how to place security cameras on a loop.  He quickly did so and made his way to Jack's room.  There were no guards, which made his job easier.  The older man looked up he entered.  Sark didn't waste any time speaking.  "Sloane is with Sydney now.  I got him to agree that the best approach with her would be for her to believe that the CIA was responsible for her disappearance.  Allison and I altered the videos to appear as such."

Jack looked at the younger man.  He knew that he was trying his best to help his daughter, and he was grateful for that, even if he didn't outwardly show it.  "I suppose it was one of the only options. How is Irina?"  He had to know.  Was she still alive?  He had to admit he was more than a little worried after seeing her on the floor earlier.

Sark looked at Jack with understanding. "Irina will be fine.  Sloane had a doctor attend to her.  I'm sure Sloane has plans for you, although I do not know what they are yet.  I don't have much time, so listen to me.  Later tonight, I will manipulate the feeds on a loop again, giving you more time for an escape.  You will have to take out the guards yourself.  I cannot help you with that or else Sloane will be more suspicious.  You have to take Irina and get out of here.  Sydney, Allison, and I will take care of Sloane."

Jack was about to say that there was no way in hell we would leave his daughter here, but he saw the determined look on the younger man's face.  He realized that arguing with him would do no good.  He couldn't help Sydney while he was locked up, so the best bet would be to get Irina and himself out, then come back.  If  they stayed, it would be more leverage to use against Sydney.  He didn't trust Allison, for she was the one who had shot Irina, but Sark obviously knew what he was doing.  He wasn't one to trust a person easily, so he must have some reason for his actions.  "Will Irina be able to travel?" was all that he asked.

Sark almost let a sigh of relief out.  He had been afraid that Jack would refuse to leave, especially since it would mean leaving Sydney in his care.  "Irina is strong.  She will make it just fine."  Jack should know that better than anyone, but obviously he was not thinking clearly.  He almost found Jack's momentary slip into emotion humorous.  But, now was not the time for that.

"Of course," Jack said.  "What time will all of this take place?"  He was already formulating a plan to get around the guards.

"At 11:15 pm there is a shift change with the guards.  Sloane will be in his quarters on another floor.  It is the best time.  I'm sorry that I cannot stay longer.  Just be prepared."  He took a gun from his shoulder holster and stuck it in Jack's jacket pocket.

"Don't worry.  I will be ready," was all that Jack said.  He watched the younger man leave the room.  For some reason, he had trust in him.  He knew that whatever Sark set out to do would be accomplished.  Just the same, a warning was in order.  "Mr. Sark."  He watched the man stop and look back at him.  "Just know that if you do anything that puts my daughter in more danger, I will personally hunt you down and make sure that you pay dearly for it.  Are we clear?"

Sark placed a smirk on his face.  This was the Jack Bristow that he knew.  It was also the Jack Bristow that was needed right now.  "Crystal."  He walked out the door.

*************

Sloane slowly entered the room and walked toward Sydney.  He noted that she had been watching the videotapes of her lost time, for one was still on the monitor.  She had been crying.  He could see the tears drying on her cheeks.  "Sydney, I see that you've been watching the videos that I provided for you.  I hope that they have answered some of your questions.  I'm sorry to see that you seem disturbed by them."  

Sydney felt such hatred for the man in front of her that she wanted to kill him.  She had hated him for a long time, but after him taking away two years of her life, she hated him even more, if that was possible.  "I think anyone would be upset by what those tapes show.  I just can't comprehend all of it."  At least that much was true, she thought wryly.  She could not comprehend the mentally unhinged obsession that Sloane had with Rambaldi.  "I can't say that I believe what I've seen.  It's hard to understand why the CIA, especially my father and Vaughn would subject me to such things." Her voice choked as she remembered what she had witnessed.

Sloane quietly surveyed Sydney.  She was visibly upset and truly unsettled.  He realized that the plan was working.  There was doubt in her voice.  That was a good start.  "Sydney, I will do everything in my power to find the answers that you need." He plastered a look of fatherly concern on his face.  After all, she was like a daughter to him once.

Sydney realized that he believed that she was doubting what had happened to her.  "I don't know what to believe right now.  I need time to think about everything."  She knew that it would be believable for her to want as much information as possible.  She decided to push the threshold.  "If this is true, why did you feel the need to seek out my parents and to lock me up here?  Why did you have Allison shoot my mother?"  It was a reasonable question.  She waited for his answer.

Sloane eyed Sydney suspiciously for a moment.  Then he decided that it was reasonable for her to want to know.  "I wanted to find you.  I knew what had happened, and I also knew that you wouldn't listen to me.  I assumed this was the easiest way.  Now I have your father and mother.  You father was partially responsible for what happened to you Sydney.  You should be happy that he is here and you can question him at will.  As for your mother…I didn't mean for Allison to shoot her.  The girl has an itchy trigger finger, especially where the Bristow women are concerned.  There is no need to worry though.  I have a wonderful doctor looking over her and she will recover just fine."  

Sydney did her best to look grateful for his treatment of her mother.  It was hard.  All she wanted to do was break his slimy neck.  She had to get control of her emotions.  If she didn't, this would not end well.

"As for you, Sydney, you have no trust in me.  I knew you would not stay willingly until I had a chance to give you proof," Sloane lied easily.  

"What makes you think that I will stay willingly now?" asked Sydney quietly.  "I have no reason to trust you this time either.  Besides, I know that you've always had an obsession with Rambaldi.  You could just be using me to fulfill the prophecy.  As far as I know, you still have Il Dire."  She couldn't wait to hear the lie that he would come up with to answer her question. 

"Sydney, you've always been like a daughter to me.  I would never want to see you hurt.  You must know that.  As for Rambaldi, I realized that I am not the one that is called.  You are.  I'm willing to help you fulfill your destiny."  Sloane gave her a smile, which turned out to be more of a sneer.  "Let me help you, Sydney.  You are destined for great things.  I do have Il Dire and it holds the key."

Sydney inwardly gasped as she heard Sloane referring to her destiny.  She had dreamed of him speaking those words to her.  Her mind flashed back to the dreams.  Aidan was also in them.  He was always the one who had tried to save her.  How could she have not thought of it before?  She had the dreams before her mother had told them about Aidan's part in the prophecy.  How had she known that he would be the one?  She directed her attention back to Sloane.  "I need time.  I will agree to stay, at least until I watch the rest of the tapes, but I do not want to be locked up like a prisoner."  She knew it was a long shot to request more freedom, but she had to try.

Sloane almost laughed at her request.  He would let her out of the room, but she couldn't get away from the premises if she tried.  There was too much security.  He had made sure of that.  "Fine.  I will agree to that.  But, I assure you, you will be watched.  Follow me."  He beckoned her to follow him and took her back to the room that they had been in previously.  

Sydney was happy to see that the room had been cleaned.  There were no signs of her mother's blood anywhere.  Thank God.  Sloane motioned for her to sit down.  She was thinking of ways to kill the man in front of her.  Was it really necessary to wait?  Couldn't she just kill him now?  After all, she had been trained how to kill a man six different ways with her bare hands.  What if she tried all six at once?  She was so intent on her thoughts that she didn't realize that Aidan and Allison had entered the room.  She jumped as Allison spoke.  

"What is she doing here?" Allison spat out.  "Surely you don't trust her?"   Allison surveyed Sydney.  Yes, she had agreed to help Sark, but she wanted as little interaction with the other woman as possible.

Sloane distastefully eyed Allison.  Sometimes she was just too outspoken for her own good.  "Sydney has agreed to stay.  I assume that both of you," he eyed Sark and Allison in turn, "will be hospitable to her."

Sark looked at the man in front of them.  His hands itched to wrap their way around his neck.  He kept his face placid as he replied, "Of course."  He turned his head to look at Allison, his eyes cold.  "I trust that Allie agrees with me."  Her nod was barely noticeable, but at least she was keeping her mouth shut.  "What are we to do now?"

Sydney inwardly blanched as she heard Aidan's use of Allison's nickname again.  She shouldn't let it bother her that he had been on such intimate terms with the other woman, but it did.  She glanced at Aidan and saw that despite his intimate reference, his eyes were cold as he watched Allison.

Sloane assessed the three in front of him.  It was time to set things in motion.  "I think it is time for Sydney to see Il Dire."


	23. Chapter 23

Sloane made his way out of the room leaving the other three to follow.  Allison went first, then Sydney, leaving Sark for last.  They went silently down the corridor.  

Sydney glanced back at once, a worried expression on her face.  What would happen now?  She just hoped that she could handle this.

As Sark made his way, he couldn't help but think that this could be the worst thing that could happen.  He was worried about the effect seeing the machine would have on Sydney.  But, as there wasn't much he could do about it, he kept his silence.  At least he would be there, should anything happen.  He glanced at his watch, noting the time.  9:47. A little over an hour before Jack would attempt escape.  Sark knew that Jack would find a way to get himself and Irina out, but he was still concerned about it.  Sloane stopped ahead of them and punched in a security code, which opened a door for them.  As they stepped inside, Sark saw Sydney noticeably stiffen for a moment.  She hid her anxiety quickly.  Good girl, he thought.  Never let them see you unnerved.

Sloane turned to see Sydney's reaction to the machine.  He couldn't help but think that it was lucky that most of the video footage he had of Sydney wasn't when she was hooked up to Il Dire.  Otherwise, this would be more difficult.  She would never believe he had nothing to do with it, had that been the case.  He stepped back to let her have full view of the machine.

Sydney walked toward the machine as Sloane stepped back.  It was rather unassuming looking, and much smaller than she had imagined.  The oddest thing about it was the two handprints on the front.  Sydney had to keep herself from laughing.  This was just striking her as ridiculous.  It was as if it were one of those stupid machines, where you place your hands on the prints and it tells you how hot your love life is.  As soon as she thought of that, she was literally laughing so hard inside that tears started to slide down her cheeks. 

Sark mistook her tears for apprehension until he glanced at Sydney's eyes.  Barely controlled merriment had made its way into them.  What was going on?  Was she losing it?  There was definitely nothing to laugh about here. He turned his attention to Sloane as the man started to speak.

Sloane took her tears at face value.  Of course, he would not look deeper than appearances.  "I see that you are overwhelmed, Sydney.  That is to be expected.  This machine holds the key to the future.  Not just your future, but all of ours."  He held his hand out to her, offering her assistance to step closer to Il Dire.

Sydney sobered herself quickly and looked at Sloane.  Inside, she was full of loathing, but she knew that she could not show it.  Instead, she took his hand and moved even closer to the machine.  As she looked down at it, she couldn't help but think that after all of these months, and her missing two years, she might be able to remember more.  She knew there wouldn't be much, for Sloane had her the entire time, but she would like to know what she had been subjected to that wasn't on the tapes.  She glanced back at Allison and Aidan, who were standing near the door watching her and Sloane.  "I don't understand," was all she managed to say, her throat constricting with nervousness.

"All in good time, Sydney, all in good time," consoled Sloane, his voice oily and his facial expression a mask of concern.  "First, maybe you want to examine it?"  

Sark started to object, but realized that he couldn't do that.  Instead, he stepped a little closer to the two, motioning for Allison to do the same.  He stood, rigid, his eyes moving from Sydney to Sloane as he observed the details of the situation.

Allison did not pay attention to the two standing in front of her.  Instead, she kept her eyes on Sark, noting that he wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to her.  He was focused on Sydney.  She was getting really angry with Sark.  How dare he just ignore her.  They were close once, and she cared for him.  She wondered if it might be time to take him down a notch or two.

Sydney stood still and stared at the machine.  Il Dire.  The object of Sloane's obsession and what tied her and Aidan to the prophecy.  She moved to place her hands on the prints, and felt a surge of current pass through her.  She saw a flash of light and immediately had a vision of herself standing at the machine like she was doing now.  She realized that this was a memory, that this truly wasn't happening at the moment, but it was disconcerting.  She let it take over.  She felt pressure on her arms and looked down to see two pairs of hands, forcing her to touch the machine.  She glanced to her sides, but she couldn't make out the faces.  She looked up and saw Sloane standing there, a smirk on his face.  She struggled to get free, but it was useless.  The memory started to fade, leaving Sydney shaken, as she blinked, trying to refocus.  She glanced over at Sloane, but he apparently saw nothing amiss.

"What do you think, Sydney?"  Sloane said as he saw her staring at him.  He wasn't sure what was going through her mind.  She seemed almost frozen in place, now concentrating on the machine again.

Sydney thought about her answer.  She decided the safe thing would be to say nothing about her memory.  "I don't know what to think.  It seems that this is just a silly machine.  I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing."  At least that was honest enough.  She was almost afraid to touch it again, but she welcomed the memories from a past that she couldn't remember, even if they were painful.  She moved every so slightly, making contact with the machine again.  The next memory that flashed to her was Sloane telling her about how everyone had moved on with their lives.  How they thought she was dead and they didn't care.  She felt so defeated, she almost wanted to give up, but she couldn't let that happen.  She felt so much pain in her heart and mind.  That was the last thing she remembered before she collapsed onto the floor.

Sark saw that Sydney was about to fall, and moved toward her, but it wasn't soon enough.  She fell to the floor, unconscious.  He realized now what must have been happening to her.  The machine had triggered memories and the pain was too much for her to physically deal with.  He was angered that Sloane ordered a guard to take her upstairs, but hid it behind his usual cold stare.  The three followed the guard as he made his way upstairs.

*******

Jack paced the room.  He looked at his watch.  11:01. Just a few minutes more until it would be time to move.  He trusted Sark, as crazy as that sounded, and he knew that he could count on the cameras being on a loop.  He knew Irina was being held down the hall, and he had a gun.  Luckily Sloane's men hadn't found the set of picks that he had on him.  They would certainly come in handy.  11:12. Jack worked with the lock silently until it gave.  Just one more minute now.  It was time.  He silently slipped out, holding ready the gun that Sark had left him.   After glancing right and left, he made his way down the hall.  He lightly knocked on the door to where Irina was being held.  When an aged doctor opened it, Jack did not hesitate to knock the man out.  No reason to kill the man, he thought.  He had saved Irina's life, after all.  

Irina lifted her head and looked at the man who had entered.  She knew that Jack would find a way.  After all, he always did.  She started to rise, but he was there and in one swoop had her in his arms and was on the move.  "Jack, I can walk, you know," she lightly protested.

"Now is not the time for your stubbornness, Irina.  We must get out of here, or else there will be no hope for Sydney."  He realized that by carrying her, he would not be able to shoot, so he gave her his gun.  "I trust that you're a good shot," he said, smiling wryly.  

"Yes. That I am," Irina stated, holding the gun ready, taking out a guard as they rounded the corner.  "You're lucky that I'm here."  She smiled at him as he made his way down the hall.

"You'd better make me believe that is a true statement," Jack said as 3 more guards appeared in front of their escape route.  He didn't flinch as Irina shot each one before they had a chance to fire.  By his calculations, they should just have one more door to go.  This time, he did flinch as an alarm sounded.  He should have known.  One of the guards must have set it off before coming to see what was going on.   He picked up speed, and didn't look behind them when he heard running footsteps.

"Get out of the way!" Sark had heard the alarm and was luckily first to arrive. He had left Sydney upstairs and ran to see if there was a way that he could help. He shot the guard pursuing Jack and Irina, and kept watch as he motioned for Jack to get out.  If he was lucky, he would be able to convince Sloane that Jack had got away despite his own efforts to stop him.  

Jack was grateful that Sark had shown up when he did.  When he and Irina had made it outside, he set her down, and they continued to run together.  Luckily, there was a safe house a few miles away.  If they were lucky, they would make it in time.


	24. Chapter 24

Sydney's dreams were filled with darkness and restlessness. She tossed and turned, unable to escape from the nightmare that plagued her. A thin sheen of sweat moistened her brow. She tossed and turned, murmuring unintelligible words. It was much the same as the dreams she had before.   
  
_Sydney was running. She could hardly catch her breath. She saw Sloane, and tried to turn away, but when he spoke, she found herself immobilized.   
  
"You can't run from your destiny, Sydney, you have to face it," said Sloane. Il Dire was beside him, the prints glowing, as if calling out to her. She felt the desire to move to it. She wanted to see what it could do. Instead, she forced herself to move.  
  
She looked right and left. There was no way out. Aidan appeared in front of her. "Thank God," she thought. He can help. He is here to help.  
  
"Sydney, I can help you," Aidan said, as he beckoned to her. "Together, we can make this end."  
  
"But, it's my destiny. How do I escape it?" She stopped and turned to face Sloane, torn in her decision.   
  
"Sydney, I've told you before. You make your own destiny. I'll help you," said Aidan.   
  
Sloane was coming nearer. She found herself walking towards him, towards Il Dire. She wanted this to end, now. She glanced over her shoulder at Aidan, who was watching her, but not moving. She now knew what she had to do. Summoning her courage, she moved to Il Dire, Aidan following her. They stood looking at each other for a moment, then started destroying the machine.   
  
Sloane didn't react fast enough to stop the destruction, but Sydney screamed as a shot rang out and Aidan fell by her side. "NOOOO!" _  
  
Sydney sat up, gasping for air, the pain almost unbearable. She was in a darkened room, lying on a metal cot. It took her a moment to get her bearings and realize where she was. Sloane. The Machine. Her parents. Aidan. The last thing she remembered, she was touching Il Dire, seeing things that had happened to her during her missing years. She must have passed out. Where were the others?  
  
She stood, trying to calm herself, and not dwell on the nightmare, but it was hard. It was more vivid than the others. The thought of something happening to Aidan was terrible for her. She knew it was a dream, but it was a dream that bordered on the truth. The situation that they were currently end could very well end up that way. She didn't think she could bear to lose someone else in her life.  
  
Sydney ran into the hall as she heard alarms sound. What was going on? She ran past several guards lying on the floor, and ran into Aidan. She didn't even give him a chance to speak. "What's happening? Why is the alarm going off?" She kept asking questions, as Aidan grabbed her arm and dragged her back into the room she had been in. She looked up at him with curiosity as he pushed her down onto the cot. "What are you doing?"  
  
Sark stood looking at Sydney. He knew they couldn't talk right now, for the room was under surveillance. He knew she realized this when she plastered an angry look on her face. "Miss Bristow, I suggest you calm down. We wouldn't want you to pass out again, would we?" He made his voice cold, but he questioned her with his eyes.  
  
Even though his voice carried his trademark scorn, Sydney realized that he was trying to ask if she was all right. "There is nothing for you worry about, Mr. Sark. I'm quite capable of taking care of myself. Will you kindly tell me what is going on?" She looked at him, silently asking him to tell her.  
  
"It appears that your parents have made an escape, Miss Bristow. I don't know if they will get far, but they managed to take out a few guards. I attempted to immobilize them, but I did not succeed." The last part was for Sloane's benefit. He knew the bastard was watching.   
  
Sydney let a rush of air out and realized she'd been holding her breath. They had escaped! And by the sound of things, it almost seemed like Sark had helped then, even though he had said the opposite. "Well, that is a shame, isn't it?"  
  
********  
Allison stood watching the monitor as Sark and Sydney talked. She was getting angrier by the minute. She knew that Sark had helped Jack and Irina escape. And he did it for _her_. She clenched her fists and turned around as Sloane entered the room, moving to stand near her, watching the monitor.  
  
"You know, Allison, I do worry about you. I've never known you to be a jealous person, but right now, you appear that you would love nothing better than to rip our dear Sydney's head right off. Surely you don't feel that Mr. Sark favors her over you?" Sloane placed a smirk on his face, because he knew that most men would prefer Sydney to anyone. Even if they were her enemy. He surveyed the young woman standing beside him.  
  
When Allison spoke, her voice was icy. "You know, Sloane, one of these days your tongue is going to get you killed. If fact, I'm surprised it hasn't happened already." She looked at the man beside her with contempt. She almost regretted what she was about to do. Almost. "You know, I do have some rather interesting information for you."  
  
Sloane eyed Allison with interest. She definitely was one for getting information. She always had been. It was fortunate that she worked for him. "Well, maybe you should share it and I can tell you whether I find it interesting or not. After all, a lot of your information doesn't interest me in the slightest." He enjoyed watching the flash in her eyes telling him that his comment had irritated her.  
  
"Oh, I think you will find this _very_ interesting." Allison's eyes gleamed with malice. Sark would pay for his betrayal. "It seems that our Mr. Sark has another name. It is one that you will be very interested to know. Aidan Fennelly." She swung around to face Sloane. "I think it is about time that we all be properly introduced."  
  
Sloane stood there, surveying the monitor. "Yes, yes, I think it is time that we were introduced. This will be most interesting." After all these years of thinking the boy was dead, only to have him right under his nose. It was time to make him pay. Rambaldi's work had waited long enough.


	25. Chapter 25

Sark knew he should leave, but he didn't want to.  He wanted to stay with Sydney, to pretend that things were finished and they could live life like normal people.  But, that was not going to happen now, and he couldn't dwell on it.  Instead, he said, "Yes, it's a terrible shame.  But, I know that Mr. Sloane is more concerned with you than with your parents.  He wouldn't want it to upset you.  He is sure that they won't be an issue."  Even saying that made him want to retch, but appearances must be kept up.  

Sydney eyed Aidan and realized he was keeping his contempt for Sloane inside.  That was so typical of him.  He was good at masking his emotions, but lately, she had noticed he opened up more to her.  She could see in his eyes that he just wanted this over with.  So did she.  "Yes, I'm sure that Sloane only has my best interests at heart."  Even though she tried to hide her sarcasm, it broke through anyway.  She wanted assurance from Aidan that things would be ok.  She wanted to tell him that it would soon be over, but couldn't.  Instead, she simply said, "As do you."  

Sark looked at Sydney as she spoke.  No softness was in her face with her last remark, but upon looking into her eyes, he realized that she truly meant it.  She was learning to trust him.  He let a small smile play on his lips for a brief second.  

Both Sydney and Sark jumped up, on the defensive, when the door opened.  Sloane walked in, followed closely by Allison.  Allison had a look of satisfaction on her face, which worried the two.  Sloane chuckled before starting to speak.  He looked from Sydney to Sark as he did so.

"I've just been informed of an interesting piece of information related to Rambaldi's prophecy."  He noted that the younger man's jaw clenched and Sydney's eyes flashed with worry.  "It seems that you've been deceiving me, Mr. Sark. Or, should I say Mr. Fennelly?"  He paused, judging the effect of his results on the two in front of him.  He had wondered if the younger man was even aware of his identity, but knew by the lack of surprise that he did indeed know.  At a gasp from Sydney, his smirk grew wider.  Allison had been right.  She had told him that Sydney and Sark had grown close.  How very interesting.  He never would have thought Sydney Bristow would have learned to care for a cold-blooded killer.  She always did have too much compassion.  Well, he could use it to his advantage.  With a small nod at Allison, he addressed Sark.  "I don't think you'll want to make any sudden moves.  Allison here is quite upset with you for deserting her.  I'm sure she would think it fun to see how much pain it would take to make you say that you're sorry."

Sydney moved to place herself in front of Aidan, but backed away as Allison pointed a gun at his head.  Allison had given them away.  There would be a special place in hell for her.  "I knew you couldn't be trusted, you bitch," Sydney screeched.  She was shaking with anger.  If Allison didn't have a gun pointed at Aidan's head, she would have taken her down, if it killed her.  But she was not willing to risk his life.  She had no idea what Sloane had planned, but any time they could buy would be helpful.

Sark stood still.  This was not good.  He shouldn't have trusted Allie.  This was the second betrayal from her.  Fool him once, shame on you, fool him twice, and never live to fool him again.  It was rather endearing that Sydney tried to step in front of him, but he didn't need her to fight his battles.  She had a rough one of her own to fight.

Allison went to stand behind Sark, her gun pointed at the base of his neck.  Of course, she would never use it on him, but given the chance, she would love to blow Sydney away.  But, now was not the time.  "Now, now Sydney.  There is no need for name calling." She laughed at her own joke.  "As for Sark, here, I'm surprised that he trusted me again.  I think he's getting soft."  She was rewarded with a cold stare that would have frozen anyone else.

Sloane motioned for the three to leave the room.  "Actually, I was a little concerned when your parents escaped, Sydney, but I'm glad to see that I still have leverage.  Rambaldi's work is genius, and it cannot be stopped."

"Is that what you call this, Sloane?  Ruining people's lives, not caring what the consequences are?  Your obsession even cost Emily her life.  She died because of you!  Just for some idiotic ramblings of a 16th century prophet?  You are a freak!"  Sydney wanted nothing more than to rip his heart out.  He had took so much away from her, and she would be damned if he took Aidan too.  

"My dear Sydney," Sloane eyed her with mirth in his eyes.  "You will do well not to mention Emily again.  As for Rambaldi, you know they are not just idiotic ramblings.  You have seen too much.  And, you are the one to bring forth his works.  That is a great honor and one that you don't seem to fully appreciate.  He gave her a shove toward the room where Il Dire was being kept.  Allison kept the gun trained on Sark as Sloane moved past them all to punch in the code.  

As they entered the room, Aidan noted that Sydney's body language changed.  She seemed to be deep in thought, and she wasn't paying attention to the surroundings.  She was focused on the machine.  He tried to get her attention, but it wasn't any use.  Her eyes registered fear and something else.  Resignation?  Oh, this was definitely not a good sign.  If she gave up, there wasn't any hope.   Well, he wouldn't let her give up.

Sloane spoke.  "Sydney.  You've avoided your destiny long enough.  We know that you are the chosen one, the one to bring forth Rambaldi's work.  I would hate to have to resort to harming Mr. Fennelly here, but if I have no other choice, I will.  Wouldn't you hate to see him share the same fate as his dear family?"  Sloane ignored the fact that Sark was looking at him with pure hatred.  Allison would make sure he wasn't an issue, if it came to that.

Sydney was overcome with fear and loathing.  She felt as if she were drowning, as if there was no way to escape the eventual pull of the tide that threatened to take her.  This was her nightmare, and it was coming true.  She struggled to fight the anxiety that was overtaking her.  She glanced at Aidan, who was staring intently at her.  Then she knew.  She did have a choice.  She had always had a choice.  It was time to begin.


	26. Chapter 26

When Sydney spoke to Sloane, it was barely audible.  "If I do what you want, will you let Aidan go?" She nodded her head toward Aidan, ignoring the look of shock on his face.  She was sure that he was wondering what the hell she was doing.  She looked toward Sloane to see if he would answer.  "Well, do I have your word?"  She almost smirked at that.  She knew his word was worth nothing.

Sloane appeared to consider her offer.  He knew that he couldn't afford to let the young man go.  Sark was the one that could destroy everything he had worked for.  No, he couldn't let that happen.  But, of course, Sydney didn't have to know that.  "Sydney, you know that I care about you.  If you do not want Mr. Sark harmed, I will not harm him.  But, you must work with me.  If you do, I will let him go."

Sydney knew he was lying, but that was expected.  She just needed time.  She stole a glance at Aidan, praying that he would know that she needed him.  They had to end this.  And, she needed his help, his strength.  They had to destroy Il Dire, even if in doing so, it destroyed them.

Sark was running the scenario through his mind.  There is now way that Sydney really meant to give in to Sloane's demands.  What he couldn't divine though, is what she had planned.  He mentally prepared himself to be ready for whatever happened.  His muscles tensed, his eyes narrowed, and he was ready to do what was necessary.

Sydney spoke again, as she moved to Il Dire.  "Then, I will do it."  Little did Sloane know what she really had planned.  Sydney placed her hands on the prints and instantly, she felt a current go through her.  She was drawn to it, and was seeing things that were not possible. Sydney forgot about her plans were and the others in the room as she simply watched the scene playing out in her mind.  It was as if she were watching the past unfold in front of her eyes.

First, she saw a young girl, maybe 18 years old.  Sydney knew without a doubt that it was her mother.  She was in some kind of classroom, taking tests.  A stern looking man came over and spoke to her in Russian, saying that she showed great potential.  Irina smiled, no doubt feeling privileged to be singled out.  The man took her papers and instructed her to go to the 6th floor, where she would commence with her physical test.  Irina went willingly.  What would have happened had she refused?

Next a flash came before her eyes of her mother and father, together.  They looked so happy and in love.  They were holding a little girl, and tears came to Sydney's eyes as she realized that it was her.  Her father leaned forward and kissed her mother, then reached down to tickle the little girl's feet.  The girl laughed and kissed her father's nose.  Her mother picked her up and twirled her around.  Her heart cried out for all of them.  They deserved to be like this forever, not just for some snapshot in time.  It wasn't fair!

Another flash before her eyes and she saw Emily.  Sweet Emily who was the mother figure in her life after Laura Bristow had died.  Emily was gardening, carefully tending the flowers that she loved so dearly.  Sydney saw Sloane walk out to her, greeting her with more warmth than she had ever seen in his eyes.  He told Emily that he had to go away on another business trip.  As he left, she couldn't help but see the hurt and disappointment showing in Emily's eyes.  Sydney missed Emily who was always so good and so kind.  How could something so horrible happen to her?

The next one was a shock to her.  She saw a young boy.  Though she hadn't seen him before, she was sure that it was Aidan.  He was with a girl and two adults.  They must have been his family.   They were talking and laughing together.  The mother put her hand out and tousled the boy's hair.  The boy looked up at her and smiled. Sydney's heart ached for him.  This must have been one of the last happy moments that the family shared.  What would have happened had Sloane not interfered?

Sydney saw herself, laughing with Danny.  Sweet Danny who had sang to her in the middle of the college courtyard.  Even though he was off key, she thought it was the most wonderful sound she had ever heard.  She saw herself accept his proposal and drop to her knees, crying and kissing him.  They had been so happy and had made so many plans.  Sickened, she remembered that her drive to be honest with him was what got him killed.  Why couldn't things have been different?

Last, she saw herself and Vaughn.  She gasped as she realized it was the day they took SD-6 down.  They moved toward each other and shared a kiss, the first of their relationship.  She saw Weiss approach them and they paid no attention to him.  Sydney jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder.  Instantly the images faded and she had to face reality.  Sloane was standing next to her.  

"Don't you see, Sydney?  You can change it.  You can make things the way you want.  You can make all the pain go away and make things better.  Your mother and father, my Emily, your fiancé….  It could all come back to you."  Sloane didn't know exactly what she had seen, but he knew that she had the power to change the past.  The machine could do that, with her help.  She could bring his precious Emily back to him.  The thought had consumed him awake and in dreams.  Emily.  She deserved better than what had happened.  With her by his side, nothing would stop him.

Sydney didn't speak as she thought about the power that she held.  She could change it.  She could make it all better.  She could make her mother refuse the KGB, she could bring Danny back.  She could make sure Aidan's family was safe.  Her thoughts were preoccupied as she mulled over all of the options.  She knew that it wasn't any use.  To change the past would be altering everything.  Sure, she could eliminate Sloane, or at least his betrayal of the CIA.  She could make sure her mother never went to the KGB.  If she did that, she wouldn't exist.  Her mother never would have married her father.  If she changed Aidan's life, he wouldn't exist to her.  He would be safe, with his family.  Danny would be back, but at what cost?  How much would change?  She couldn't go through with it.  She threw a look in Aidan's direction, silently begging him for help and strength.

Sark knew that Sydney needed him.  Without waiting to think of what could happen, he moved from Allison to Sydney's side.  One look at each other and they started demolishing the machine.  He grabbed a pipe that was lying nearby and started smashing the machine with all of his strength.  His hands were aching from the reverberations, but he didn't care.  He kept pounding into it. All of the frustration of his ruined life surfaced as he destroyed the object of Sloane's obsession.  It had ruled their lives for too long.  Sark felt that if they died now, it would have been justified by this destruction.  

Sydney had not been able to find an instrument, so she was using her hands.  They were becoming bloodied from the force, but she didn't notice.  She lashed out with everything in her, destroying not only the machine but all of the pain of the past.  It didn't matter if anything happened to her; she was going to make sure that Il Dire was destroyed before any more lives were affected.  Her breathing was heavy and she was sobbing.  She just kept lashing out, even though she could hardly see through the tears.  With eat hit and with each kick, her rage intensified.

Sloane took a moment to react, but suddenly rushed forward to try to stop the two from destroying his life's work.  He yelled at the top of his lungs and forcefully tried to pull Sydney back.  He would not let them ruin this for him.  Sark saw what Sloane was trying to do and pulled him off of Sydney and punched him hard.  Sloane went down, a little dazed, but came back up fighting.  He went for the gun that he had and started firing off shots, not caring who he hit.  If they were going to destroy Il Dire, then they could all die.  Nothing else mattered.

Allison barely had time to register what was happening.  Sloane was shooting at Sark and Sydney.  She acted on instinct, quickly jumping in front of Sark, firing her gun back at Sloane several times.  She couldn't let anything happen to Sark, not when it was her fault that Sloane had them in this situation.  She looked down as pain shot through her.  With a moan, she collapsed to the ground.  She knew that she was dying.  

Sydney screamed as she saw the worst part of her nightmares coming true.  One of Sloane's bullets had hit the mark.  "Aidan!!!"  She ran to him as he dropped to the floor.  There was blood coming from his side, but he wasn't paying attention.  He was looking at Sloane, who was quite obviously dead, judging from the large hole in the side of his head.  

Sark was confused.  Allison had shot Sloane to save him?  He looked to Sydney before glancing to the floor beside him.  Allison was alive, but barely.  She had been shot in the chest.  He spoke to Sydney.  "I'll be fine.  It's just a flesh wound."  He moved closer to Allison, taking her wrist to check her pulse.  It was weak.  Allison was dying.  "Allie?"

Sydney saw what Aidan was doing and moved to Allison's side before he could say anything else.  Allison had saved his life and destroyed the man that had made all of their lives miserable.  She felt compassion for the woman, as she noted that breathing was a struggle for her.  "Allison?" she questioned tentatively.  Sydney still blamed her for her betrayal and the murder of her best friend, but she did not want to see her suffer.  The only person she wanted to see suffer was now dead before them.

Allison did not even look at Sydney.  She wasn't the one that mattered.  She focused on the man beside her.  She rolled her head over and looked at Sark.  "I'm so sorry," she rasped.  "I was wrong.  But, it's over now."  She gasped, her chest heaving before growing still, her eyes lolling back in her head.

Sydney looked to Aidan, who was holding his side.  He had told her that his wound was superficial, but she knew it was more.  He was losing too much blood and she could tell that he was fighting to stay conscious.  She moved to him, cradling her head in his lap, holding her hands over his wound.  "Aidan, hang in there.  You can't leave me now, ok?  We'll get help.  You'll be ok.  Please."  She looked down at the man she had learned to love and realized that what she said was true.  She couldn't lose him now.

Sark looked up at Sydney.  Beautiful Sydney.  She was always so strong.  That was one of the things that he loved about her.  Loved?  How funny that should come to his mind now.  He was getting weaker.  So tired.  His last conscious thought was that Sydney looked like an angel.  His angel.

Sydney had tears in her eyes as she saw Aidan lose consciousness.  "Not now!  No!"  She needed to tell him how she felt.  She needed him.  "Aidan!  Aidan, please…wake up!"


	27. Epilogue

***AN:  Well, here is the last part of my story.  I hope you all have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it.**

**Thank you all so much for all of the wonderful reviews, support, and for sticking with me.  It's taken me a while to write this, but it has been fun.  I'm actually getting misty eyed because it's over, but that will leave me with a lot of time for more writing.**

**Thanks to DFerveiro and Amalia for all of their help during the writing process.  You gals have made my life easier by being there to help.**

**Epilogue:**

"Aidan!  Aidan.  You need to wake up now."  He blinked his eyes and tried to rid himself of the sleepiness that he was feeling.  He didn't want to come out of the warm cocoon that he was wrapped in.  "Tired," he mumbled, not wanting to wake up.

Sydney smiled to herself as she noted her husband's scrunched up face and his protests that he was tired.  She leaned over and kissed his forehead and was rewarded with bright blue eyes popping open to gaze at her.  She laughed as his strong hands found her body and pulled her down under the covers with him.  

"Why so early, céadsearc*?  Don't we have the whole day?"  Aidan grinned as he knew just why she had felt the need to wake him early.  Today was their anniversary.  They had been married for 1 year.  Each day, he wondered how they had made it this far.  Each day he marveled over their 2 month old daughter.  With her blonde curls and big brown eyes she resembled both of her parents.  Things hadn't been simple for them.  Every day was a challenge, but they were working through it together. 

Sydney smiled to herself at Aidan's use of his native tongue.  She couldn't help but think back to that fateful day, when she had almost lost him.  Her parents had been near the facility trying to infiltrate it.  They had heard the loud noises and the gunshots and had found both Sydney and Aidan. They were able to take Aidan to the hospital before he lost more blood.  She had been in such shock that she hadn't moved from the cold floor where she had Aidan's head cradled in her lap. At the hospital, she hadn't left his side until he woke up.  When he did, she didn't waste time, immediately telling him how she felt.  She had tried her best to show her gratitude to her parents for all they had done.  Each day, they grew closer, and she never hesitated to tell them that she loved them.  She showed them all of the affection that she had never been able to bestow on them.  The biggest step was truly working toward a relationship with her mother.  It was a slow process, but it was worth it.  She realized Aidan was thinking of the same things when he spoke.

"It's over now, we can put the past behind us."  After he had regained consciousness, he had thought about Allie, who had died to save him.  Things had evened out.  He was thankful to her for saving him and he realized how precious life was.  He had lived and with a little time he was moving on with life.  Sometimes it wasn't so easy.   Wounds healed and left scars in their wake.  Nothing could bring the past back, but the future was ahead.  Sydney couldn't return to the CIA, not with a wanted assassin by her side.  There were no hopes for a pardon for him, so they had to disappear.  That she had chosen to be with him told him exactly how much she cared.  He was sure he didn't deserve it, but he wasn't about to turn down the love of the only woman he truly cared for.  He had temptations to go back to his old life; after all it was what he had known.  But, with each day he grew more content being a husband and father.

"I know.  I was just thinking of how I almost lost you."  Sydney didn't want to think about it, but it was there, just the same.  Now there was more to think about, so she brought herself back to the present.  Her parents had their daughter, Maggie, with them for a few days.  They had named her for Aidan's mother.  She was a bundle of sunshine, and she already showed signs of having both her parent's stubbornness.  Sydney marveled at how they had been lucky enough to have had her after all they had done.  A pregnancy so soon after marriage was a surprise, but she wouldn't take it back for anything.  Sydney's parents were not remarried, but continued to spend most of their time together.  Jack had left the CIA and like Sydney, had disappeared from their radar.  There was nothing left for them there now.  Sloane was destroyed.  It wasn't easy leaving her life.  When she left, she had every intention of going back after Sloane was destroyed and she found out what had happened to her during her absence.  Things had changed however.  She realized that she was tired of that life.  Things were not as black and white as she had always believed them to be.  Gray was a shade that she had grown accustomed to.  She was pulled from her reverie by Aidan.

"Maggie is with her grandparents, so you and I have the place to ourselves.  What shall we do today?"  Aidan grinned as he thought of a few things that they could do.

"We could spar!" Sydney said laughingly.  Even though they were trying to live a normal life, old habits died hard, and they still loved fighting with each other.  Of course, that kind of sparring wasn't what she had in mind.

"Although that does sound intriguing, I have a much better idea." A devilish grin lit up his face as his wife smiled at him and pressed closer, her lips meeting his.

Life had truly begun for both of them.  They weren't going to waste a moment of it.

*****

_'But I'm sure there's something in a shade of gray,_

_Or something in between_

_And I can always change my name, if that's what you mean.'_

_Anna Begins by the Counting Crows_

_*****_

_*céadsearc* = sweetheart_


End file.
